Group Fanfic the First
by BuffyRP
Summary: A group collaboration S/B story. After Buffy's death Spike and Giles care for Dawn. Things are tense between watcher and vampire. Drusilla returns to Sunnydale. Buffy is brought back, but her Watcher is no longer himself...
1. The Lost Chapters Unearthed

Group Fic 1

_(This chapter is the first 16 parts of the story that were lost when Elfwood went down but which have now been rescued! The group story writing can now be found at _[The Buffy RP Stories Board][1]_ and you can join in if you'd like. It is meant to be a S/B fic, so keep that in mind if you write a part for it. You can also start a new group story there.)_

  
Part 1, by Lanceluver2001 

Ok, this is the thread I told some of the peeps at Jamesmarsters.com I would create, so here ya go! This is post gift, so if u haven't seen season 5, u might not want to read/participate in this. IT's open to all, and is S/B. 

The characters are copyright to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy productions (Grr, Argg!), etc. Now let the fun begin! 

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'Dont' know how you met me, don't know why But you can't turn your back and say goodbye. All you know is when I'm wiht you, I make you free And swim through your veins like a fish in the sea...' 

------------------------ 

Spike flung another empty beer bottle across the floor of his crypt. It had been a week since that terrible night when Buffy had died, sacrificing herself for the world. He sighed. 

That had been the last beer in his crypt and the pain was still there. He knew he had to get her back, but how he didn't know how. 

His failings of protecting Dawn haunted him. They were in his dreams, his thoughts, everywhere. Buffy was dead because of him. 

A soft knock came at the door... 

  
Part 2, by Miss Kitty 

He ignored it. Wasn't ready to face anyone, they had all let him be so far, left him alone to wallow in his despair because they were too busy trying to deal with their own. The funeral had been in the daytime but close to his own crypt so he had watched from the shadows, he reckoned that was probably the witches idea, she was the only one who would have thought of it, thought of him. 

He knew what that knock meant though, had been waiting for it even. They had come some short way out of grief, through denial and despair and reached anger. Now he would be faced with the truth, that the woman who had become his sole anchor to the world was gone because of his inadequacies, and the only other people who knew the pain he felt would rightly hold him reponsible. 

Ignoring it didn't work, the knocking carried on, but he refused to acknowledge it. He simply waited for them to leave, and was merely rewarded by the door creaking open to reveal Dawn standing in front of him, an empty look in her eyes and a plain white envelope in her hands.... 

  
Part 3, by Snakes 

Dawn walked towards where Spike sat on the floor, but her eyes looked everywhere but at him. He turned his own eyes away, hurt that she couldn't even bring herself to look at him. He didn't say anything; just braced himself for the hateful words that he knew were coming. Several minutes passed without her speaking. He wished she would just get it over with and leave. Why did she have to drag this out? 

Finally, Dawn sat down on the floor facing him. "Spike", she said quietly, staring at the floor, "I'm so sorry. I know how much she meant to you, and it's my fault. It was supposed to be me, should have been me..." Her throat tightened, and she found it impossible to continue speaking. Spike was stunned. "Dawn, it's not your fault. How can you even say that? If I'd protected you like I promised Buffy I would, neither of you would be dead." The two finally looked each other in the eye, and an unspoken understanding passed between them. It was a small bit of comfort to each of them that at least one person didn't blame them. 

They sat silently for a few minutes, then Spike noticed the envelope Dawn held in her hand. Dawn saw his eyes spot the envelope, and she got a bit embarassed. "I've been carrying this everywhere for the last week, so if I ever get up the nerve to open it, I can do it right away before I change my mind." she explained. "What is it?" Spike asked. "Buffy left me a note. I think she knew she wasn't going to make it. And believed that I was." She started to choke up again but managed to force the rest of the words out. "I'm afraid to read the note. Maybe it says pretty much what she told me before... she..." Dawn couldn't complete that thought. "But what if she really did blame me for everything? What if she hated me for bringing this on her and her friends and even the world? I'm not sure I want to know what else she meant to tell me." 

  
Part 4, by Marguerite 

"Listen niblet" Spike spoke barely in a whisper "Buffy didn't blame you. She would never blame you. This was her choice. Maybe if you read the note she left, you'll understand better." "I can't do it. I don't even want to see her hand writing. Everything's just been too much... I'm so scared Spike" Dawn leaned forward into Spike, hoping for a comforting hug. Spike let her fall into his chest and looked down at her. He tentatively began to stroke her hair, not sure what to do next. He pulled away from the hug and placed a small kiss on her forehead, mumbling underneath his breath "I miss her too". 

"If you want I can read the note to you? I mean.. if you want? It might be.. easier" Spike looked at the ground as he spoke unsure if the offer would offend. 

Dawn thought about the offer for a moment and without a word, handed him the envelope. With a dramatic deep breath, Spike opened the envelope and began to read, at first to himself and then finally out loud with a unsure voice: 

"Dear Dawn, 

I don't have much time to write everything that I need to tell you so I hope you understand that I wish I could write more... but I can't. First of all, never forget that I loved you. Never doubt that you really are my sister. Never feel alone. You will never be alone. The gang will always take care of you and be your family. Spike even promised me tonight that he will protect you 'till the end of time and I know that he means it. You've gone through a lot in the last few months and you've been so strong. So much stronger then I've been. I know that you will go on and will live because you have something to live for. Now please do me one last favour. It's a big one. Please Dawn, destroy this note and go and live. My death... your life... is my gift to you. Don't waste it." 

  
Part 5, by Sandra L 

A few moments passed. Spike silently reread the letter while Dawn stared at the floor, absorbing this confirmation of Buffy's last words to her. 

Dawn looked up to find Spike watching her with what appeared to be genuine concern. He immediately looked away, folded the letter, and handed it back to her. "Well," he said, a shade too brusquely, "that didn't sound like blame to me. All's well then, right Nibblet?" 

In response, Dawn began to cry. "Yeah, all's well…" 

Bloody hell. 

"Listen, for what it's worth, Buffy was right. I meant what I said about looking after you. If there's anything you need…" 

"It's just…the 'living' part. I don't know what's going to happen now." She drew an unsteady breath and continued, "They said I might have to go live with a foster family somewhere, and…and I don't think I could stand that. Spike, you and the gang are all I've got now. You're the only ones who understand… you especially." 

Spike shifted uncomfortably, then realized what she was hinting at and stared at her in astonishment. It couldn't possibly work …could it? 

  
Part 6, by Snakes   
(Credit to Estepheia for giving me part of the plot idea) 

Spike looked uncomfortably at Dawn. "Niblet, we'll figure something out. I really don't want to see you get sent away to foster care either. I could just see the foster parents' expressions when I show up to explain that I'm your protector!" He laughed a bit nervously. Dawn hadn't even peeked at the note, fortunately, just listened to him read it. Now, he just had to get her to follow the "destroy this note" instructions without reading it over herself. He'd made that part up. The note actually gave the name and address of someone Buffy knew who could make up fake papers proving Giles to be a relative, in order to keep Dawn from being sent to live with someone she didn't even know. Spike remembered how willing Giles had been to kill Dawn if necessary, so he couldn't bring himself to let her make Giles her guardian. 

"So Little Bit, I guess you should destroy that letter. Kind of a weird request, but then Buffy always was a bit weird." Dawn looked up at him. "You're right, that is strange. I wonder why she wants it destroyed." She pulled the note back out, and opened it up to read it. Spike tried to stop her, "Come on, Buffy didn't want you to dwell on this, that's probably why she wanted you to get rid of it." 

"Just let me read it one last time, Spike, then I'll destroy it." "Dawn!" Now she looked at Spike a bit suspiciously. He really didn't want her to read the letter. Had it really said something bad that he didn't want to hurt her? She stepped away so he wouldn't grab the note and read it. Then she looked back at Spike with hurt in her eyes. "You said you didn't want me to go to foster care! You lied! You just want to be rid of me like everybody else!" She started to cry again. 

"No, Dawn!", he stepped toward her and awkwardly pulled her into a hug. "Dawn, I just don't want you to go live with Giles either. What you were sort of hinting at earlier, I'd kind of been thinking the same thing, so", he was rather embarassed, "When I read that in the note, well, I'm going to go see that guy. Maybe he can make up the necessary papers...", now he felt totally stupid. Certainly it made more sense for her to go with Giles. He made himself finish what he wanted to say, and just hoped Dawn wouldn't laugh. "papers to prove that I'm your... um... Uncle William." 

  
Part 7, by Estepheia 

But of course she laughed. "Uncle William? As in 'hi folks this is my undead Uncle Willy'?" And Spike realised that he was able to put up with considerable embarassment, just to see Dawn happy, even if only briefly. It was not fair for one so young to experience the loss of two loved ones in such a short time. 

"What's so funny 'bout that, then?" Spike raised an eyebrow with faked indignation. 

"Dunno..." Dawn giggled. "Of all the men on this planet, you are probably the least uncle-ish. Uncles are like, oooold... you know. And boring." 

"I am old, and I can try to be boring - for about five minutes."   
Spike grinned. "Uh, make that five seconds...."   
He was rewarded with another giggle.   
But he knew that all that banter was just a means of putting off the inevitable: the serious and painful discussion on the subject of her future. 

For the Vampire knew, if Giles really decided to become Dawn's legal guardian the librarian would drag the Councel of Watchers into the whole affair. And the Council - awesome wielders of red tape - would tie potential foster uncle Spike into a neat little bundle, perhaps with a stake thrown in for good measure.... 

But for now it was just fun to fantasize and paint "Uncle Willy" in the most garish colors possible. 

  
Part 8, by Marguerite 

Spike and Dawn left to go find Giles. If this was going to work, they would need his "buy in". Their plan was too let Giles know about the note (editing Spike for Giles as the requested guardian) and that they had destroyed it on Buffy's request. 

*A little white lie never hurt anyone - even if it is about a dying wish* the vamp and teenager both thought in their heads as they walked. 

After a few moments Dawn turned to Spike and asked with a big grin "So... What about sleepovers?" 

"What are sleepovers?" 

"I get to invite a bunch a friends over to sleep for a night and we talk and do each others hair...you know like in Grease" 

Spike shook his head... *what am I getting myself into* 

  
Part 9, by Miss Kitty 

Sleepovers, homework, boys...was he vampire enough for the job? Spike shook his head as they made their way to the Magic Box. He just didn't know if it was fair on Dawn to take responsibility for her, he had let Buffy down and couldn't bear it if he let her down too. He stopped short about a block from the shop with a lump in his throat, ready to tell her that she'd be better off living with Giles, he had so much more to give her. 

"Hang on a sec, I think..." He didn't know how to say it, he wanted so desperately to take her in and keep her safe, make her smile and feel as though she had someone who would always put her first, no matter what, but what was best for this gutsy kid who'd been through so much was more important than what he wanted. 

"What is is it? Don't you want to..." One look down into those innocent yet so old eyes told him everything he needed to know. He could see that this meant so much to her, she was close to Giles but he had always been Buffy's mentor, father-figure and friend. The two of them had this strange, yet undeniable bond in a way he was everything to Dawn that Giles had been to Buffy and he swore to himself that from this moment on any pain caused to his charge would be returned a thousand-fold. She would never come to harm, never! 

"Nothing pet, it's getting cold, didn't want you to catch a chill that's all." As he took his duster off and wrapped it around her petite frame he knew that she felt the same way as he did. They only had each other to take care of now, they were kin. 

  
Part 10, by Estepheia 

Predictably, Giles was all against the idea of Spike formally and legally assuming responsibilty for Dawn, even though he voiced his reservations rather obliquely. "Are you quite ...ah certain, that this is what Buffy ....requested ..." he mumbled, while distractedly polishing his glasses. „And that it was really Buffy who wrote that letter?" Spike picked up the doubt in Giles' voice even if Dawn didn't. They were presently sitting in Giles's living room after removing the obligatory piles of books from the available chairs. 

Dawn was happily eating a second helping of chocolate chip ice cream (which they had picked up on their way), while the two men concentrated less on their food and more on each other. The Vampire remembered who had had the guts, common sense and determination to kill helpless Ben on that fateful day. He did not need to be reminded that underneath the librarian's absentminded-professor-act there lurked another personality of much darker hue. *And don't I know what it's like to be a wolf in sheep's clothing* he thought with an inward smile. He put on what he called his „honest face" and looked at the other man without flinching. 

„That night - before we took on Glory - Buffy, I mean the Slayer, she invited me back in, you see. And there and then I promised to her that I would protect Dawn, no matter what. Until the end of time if necessary. I meant what I said and she knew it. I think she wrote that letter just afterwards, while I was sorting through her trunkful of assorted weapons." *Well there was so much truth in this, it had to ring true, even to the distrustful ears of the ex-and-reinstated-watcher.* 

Giles watched Dawn's enthusiastic face and sighed resignedly. 

„Well, then. If that is what she wanted.... obviously I am not goint to deny her .... however...." The librarian looked at the vampire sharply. „ I am quite convinced, that ....Buffy ... wouldn't mind some ... ah ....additional input." 

It obviously pained Giles to speak Buffy's name, Spike noticed. *Well, there's something we have in common....* 

„So...." the Giles continued „why don't we talk this over with Willow and the others?" 

  
Part 11, by Snakes 

Before the gang arrived, Giles asked Dawn to go out to a movie while the group talked. "You're too enthusiastic about the idea of staying with Spike. I don't want them making a decision based solely on cheering you up and not necessarily on your best interests." Dawn wasn't happy about it, but hesitantly agreed to leave for a while. "It'll be ok", Spike told her. He hoped he wasn't lying. 

Once everyone was together, Giles explained the situation, and asked for better options. "Xander, Anya, you're a fairly stable couple, could you take Dawn?" Xander answered very quickly, "Love Dawn. NOT ready to deal with raising a teenager!" Anya agreed with Xander. Willow pointed out that both her and Tara were still in school. "Wouldn't you make the most sense Giles?" asked Willow. Giles actually felt much the way Xander did, but only said, "I think Buffy avoided that choice on purpose." In the end, although they all found it a dubious solution, Spike seemed the unanimous choice. 

When Dawn returned, Giles and Spike delivered the news, Giles somewhat reluctantly. He'd really hoped Xander and Anya would agree to take on the responsibility. Dawn was quite happy. Giles looked at her sternly and reminded her that there was more to it than convincing the scoobies. They had to convince the social services people. "For one thing, just exactly how are you going to explain why your mother's younger brother is British?!" Spike looked at Giles smugly, "Being much younger, I was sent to live with relatives in England after mum died." He shook his head at Giles, "Did you really think that Dawn and I haven't even been thinking about this? We've been working on our story. We'll have it all figured out in time." 

Giles sighed. Since he'd come up with no better option, he supposed he'd better support what they were trying to do, to try to keep Dawn from being sent to live with strangers. He shook his head, then walked over to his ancient typewriter, sat down, put in a sheet of paper, and started typing. Spike and Dawn just stared at him quizzically. Finally, Giles pulled the paper out of the typewriter and handed it to Spike. Spike, took it. "What's this?" "Even if you can get those papers showing you to be her uncle, they won't turn her over to just anyone, related or not. They'll want proof that you can financially support your charge." Giles said. "That's a reference from your 'employer'." Spike looked at the letter typed on 'Magic Box' letterhead. He stared up at Giles surprised. "Thank you", he said very sincerely. 

"Final problem", said Giles. "No one in their right mind is going to award custody to that!", he said gesturing emphatically at Spike. He now sounded totally resigned, if somewhat disgusted, as he said, "If you actually get those papers you need, looks like I'll be taking Spike shopping." 

  
Part 12, by Lanceluver2001 

"Great. The stuffed shirt is takin' me bloody shopping. What fun." Spike muttered. Giles chose to ignore him and turned to Dawn. "It's getting late and you have school tomorrow." he said. 

"Aw, c'mon!" 

"Dawn..." 

"Fine." she sighed and headed upstairs. 

Giles took off his glasses and began polishing them. "You do understand that there might be a few more...complications." 

  
Part 13, by Marguerite 

"Spike even if you succeed to get full custody of Dawn, there are things that will occur that you haven't thought of. The gang will help out like always but she is not their responsibility. If you go through with this you will not only be impacting your life, but hers as well. She will never be able to have a parent join her on a field trip or watch her play soccer or pick her up from school when she's sick or has been called into the principle's office. There will come a time when she may resent what you fought for here." 

Spike stared at the watcher in silence. He was fine to give up things in his unlife to help Dawn, but Giles was now finally getting through that his choice may be more selfish then selfless. 

Seeing the understanding in Spike's eyes, Giles decided that there was only one way to give Dawn what she needed... a compromise."I have a suggestion that may help, if you are willing to listen" 

"Go on" Spike shifted nervously and lit a cigarette. 

"You could get custody of Dawn, but let me keep an important roll in her life. You and Dawn can move in with me and the two of us can raise her... together. You will not need to pay rent as long as you are willing to help out with the Magic Box." 

Giles and Spike stared at each other with hate. Were they willing to do this for Dawn? 

  
Part 14, by Demon 

Spike started to growl, but since Giles was right he kept it to himself and just said "Well, we tolerated each other as roomates before and survived. And it's for Dawn. Let me tell her though, she's been counting on me to do this." 

Spike explained it to Dawn. She would rather have just lived with Spike, but she understood too and rent was now one less worry too. She even offered to help Spike with his work at the magic box. Now could they manage to fool the authorities into making Spike her legal guardien? 

  
Part 15, by Estepheia 

For some people the word shopping heralded amusement galore, for others it spelt T-O-R-T-U-R-E. 

"You don't really need me to come along, do you? I can give you some cash right here…. I'm quite certain you can pick something sufficiently ….ah…. respectable….." The librarian actually did not sound certain at all. Suddenly inspiration struck. "Willow! You could take Willow, instead." The librarian was vigorously polishing his glasses while desperately trying to come up with an excuse not to go. 

Spike gave himself a moment to relish the pained look on Giles' face, before he replied: "You've got to be kiddin', mate." (Giles hated being called that). "Not if you don't want me to wear strange tights and horrible flowery patterns. Mind you, she might want to put me in tweed. Now that would be a sight for sore eyes….." 

Did Rupert Giles just shudder? Spike grinned. He hadn't even started yet.   
"And…." He pointed out, while picking up Giles' car-keyes. "I can't look at myself in the mirror, remember, so I can't go on me own. I'll drive."   
"Over my dead body!"   
"I'd oblige you, but I'd need a bit of brain surgery first." Spike put on a leer that hovered somewhere between obnoxious and suggestive.   
Giles looked disgusted.   
"My keys, please."   
"Here you are, Rupert." With a courteous bow Spike dropped them into his hand. "And don't forget your credit card!" 

*** 

Spike liked shopping malls. A lot of artificial light, plenty of ways to spend one's ill-gotten gains. The only drawback was the abundance of mirrors. Particularly in shops that sold clothes. 

For the friendly young salesgirl Spike hat concocted a story which he himself would have described as "pure and unadulterated horseshit", involving a lot of bla bla on how mirror images never quite looked right, because of being, well, the wrong way round, you know. He worked shamelessly on the universal prejudice, that all Englishmen were basically eccentric twits. As a result he was allowed to stay (and change) in a corner of the shop, that was devoid of all mirrors. 

Giles was positively oozing embarrassment out of all pores. He stayed as far away as possible from Spike and only joined the conversation, when the vampire explicitly asked for his advice on an item of clothing. 

"He's a bit shy," Spike told the shop girl in a confidential whisper. "He'd like me to smarten up for his coming-out-party." 

The salesgirl smiled, as if on the verge of saying something like "how cute", but settled for a cheerful "congratulations" instead. She picked up another jacket. "How about this one? " It had a price tag that would make Giles reel with shock. 

"Yeah, that's nice!" Spike agreed. And so it was. Expensive fabric, understated elegance. A subdued dark grey that was just subtly undermined by almost invisible threads of dark purple. The silk lining was a dark purple, too. 

After 120 years of unlife (and about 30 years of looking like a punk) Spike's disgust at the cuffs-and-collars-crowd (and their trappings) had diluted somewhat. Hell, his bad ass reputation was down the drain, anyway. So what the heck. Yes. He really did like that jacket. He tried it on. 

The salesgirl looked him over appreciatively (perhaps with a hint of regret at his supposed choice of sexual preference).   
"What do you think, Rupert?"   
Giles seemed speechless. He just blinked repeatedly. 

"Pretty Women, walking down the street….pretty woman….." Spike hummed infuriatingly, while piling up more and more clothes to buy. A few shirts in grey and purple, two ties (with patterns that looked a bit like an English carpet or sofa cushion on their own but which actually looked great with the jacket) socks, boxer shorts (just for the embarrassment value: "Rupert, do you think I should have some underwear, too, for a change?"), a fine leather belt, two pairs of pants, a vest and a pair of really really expensive shoes. Spike hadn't felt so positively evil in a long time. All these goodies should make a nice dent in the librarian's wallet. Serves him right, too, Spike thought. Being a watcher was a bit like living on vampire bounties. After all, the Council of Watchers did pay him a salary, didn't they? Giles visibly winced when presented with the total, but managed to sign his name on the dotted line without protest. 

Spike grinned, but he was not finished with the librarian, not yet. Today all those derogatory remarks, all those hours of being chained up in Giles's bathtub would be avenged. There was a sufficiently large audience around, some staff and a few other customers. Time to add insult to injury. "Thank you Rupert" he exclaimed, and then he gave the librarian a BIG hug and a HOT kiss. The watcher was so utterly stunned, he didn't even resist. And with his best bashful smile Spike added. "Now I 'm all dressed to kill!" 

  
Part 16, by Snakes 

It was time to meet with the social services people. They'd already submitted all the paperwork and gone over their story, it seemed like a hundred times, to make sure they didn't contradict each other. They were fortunate to have been able to arrange an evening meeting, as that was not usually done. 

Spike went to pick up Dawn. She immediately started giggling. "Just WHAT is so funny?" "I'm just not used to seeing you dressed like that. You remind me of... Giles!" "Hey! You take that back! We could still arrange for you to live with him!" Dawn was afraid she'd really made him angry, but she saw the glint in his eye and the slight smirk and realized he was teasing her. "Well, ok, not like Giles. You just look so respectable", she teased. "You take THAT back too!" She giggled and he smiled at her. "Ok Niblet, let's go". 

They'd been at the social services office for hours. It seemed liked they'd answered every possible question and jumped through every possible hoop. Dawn was now waiting out in the hall. The lady at the desk looked at 'William'. "It says here that you and the young lady would be renting rooms from one Rupert Giles. What is the relationship between you and Mr. Giles?" They hadn't planned for that question! "Uh, he's an old friend of the family, of Dawn's mother, and also my employer." Ok, that was pretty close to the truth. "I thought it was best for there to be another adult around, who could help watch her when I can't be there." 

The lady nodded. "Well, we agree that it's best if two adults are helping raise her, but we feel it's important for a girl to have a female role model around. We'd like to place her with a married couple, preferably with experience with children. I'm sorry, but foster care is in her best interest, and we'll be sending her as soon as possible. Do you want to tell her, or do you want me to do it?" 

Spike's heart would have skipped a beat, if it beat at all. They'd lost! Dawn would be sent away! No! He was not going to let that happen. "No, you are going to sign whatever papers are necessary to give me custody!" The lady looked at him incredulously. "Just why would I do that? I've already explained to you, we've decided on foster care." Spike revealed his vampire face. "Because if you don't do it, I'm going to kill you!" 

The social services lady was terrified. What the hell are you?" Spike got right up in her face. "Your worst nightmare unless you give me custody! And if you get anyone else to prevent giving me custody, I will come after YOU!" 

She didn't know what to do. She couldn't send a little girl with this monster, but she was more afraid for her own life! It was just one little girl out of the many children who came through here. "Ok! Whatever you want! Just don't hurt me! I need to rewrite my recommendation..." "You do that", growled Spike, not letting his vampire face drop. It made Spike rather happy that, although the scoobies were not the least bit afraid of him, your average human still was. 

By the time he and Dawn left, it was official. He was her legal guardian. They headed over to Giles place to deliver the news. Giles looked rather surprised. "They actually believed everything? They didn't find any problems with making you her guardian?" Spike looked sheepish. "Not exactly." "What do you mean, not exactly?" Spike slipped into vamp face again. "If you don't sign the papers, I'm gonna kill you!", he repeated. Giles and Dawn both stared at him. "You didn't?" "I did." Giles responded angrily, "You could have ruined everything!" Spike responded even more angrily, "It was already ruined. They had already decided to send her to foster care. I had to try. I had nothing left to lose!" 

   [1]: http://pub80.ezboard.com/fbuffyrp13580frm1



	2. Parts 17 - 19

Group Fic 2

Part 17, by Estepheia 

It was not without some apprehension, that Spike moved into Giles's house. His last extended stay there had been …. frustrating. Well, it had been fun, too. Not the bit about being chained up in the bathtub, and definitely not the librarian's choice of television programs, but it had been in this house that he and Buffy had actually planned on getting married. And they had kissed. Okay, so they had both been under a spell at the time, and they had both expressed utter revulsion afterwards, when Willow eventually reversed her wayward spell. So what! The memory was real. Painful but real, and there weren't so many other Buffy-kisses to remember, were there…. 

He pocketed the bunch of keys he had let himself in with (*Would you believe it, I've got my own set of keys for the house and the shop. I'll join the ranks of the taxpayers next, Heaven forfend!*) and dropped the cardboard box with his few possessions on an unoccupied chair. He had never owned much. A car, a telly and the clothes he was wearing. Dru on the other hand, now she had been different. She had always had dolls and pretty dresses, sometimes live animals (that usually died of neglect), books, her tarot cards and other esoteric objects. He always had to make sure that none of her favourite dolls was left behind, because Drusilla would get quite agitated, if someone of her little porcelain family somehow went missing. 

But moving Dru's stuff from place to place was nothing compared to moving Dawn's possessions to her new home. He sighed. He and Dawn (and of course the Scoobies – whenever they had time) had spent hours among boxes and crates, pondering what to keep, what to give away to charity and what to store away for the time being. Certainly not an activity he would have volunteered for, but when Dawn had asked, he hadn't found it in his undead heart to refuse her. He had forgotten how many things the living accumulated in their comparatively short lives. Furniture, household utensils, china, photographs of the whole Summers family, a few trophies, Dawn's posters and magazine clippings, records and CDs, old cuddly toys, books, old tax records, Joyce's jewellery, Buffy's clothes (in some of her things the Slayer's smell still painfully lingered) and of course Buffy's diary (*And wouldn't I just love to read it, except I never would, even if I had the opportunity*). And all these items had memories clinging to them like price tags. Spike hadn't felt so dead in a long long time. And for Dawn it had been a lot worse. 

What did it matter, that most of Dawn's memories were artificial? They hurt just as much. Going through the things of her late mother and sister had left her worn out. The witches had decided, that the youngster needed a heavy dose of Miss Kitty Fantastico (*or whatever the name of that cat was*), comedy (*I think they mentioned the Rocky Horror Picture Show*) and calories, namely pizza and ice cream. So, tonight Dawn was staying with Willow and Tara. A good opportunity for Spike to clear out of his old crypt. 

What he hadn't felt like keeping he had burned. Some of Harm's old things, too. Magazines, clothes and such. Hadn't made him feel any better, though. Sometimes unlife sucks! 

Looking around he realized, that Giles had made an effort to clear some of his books away, making the living room a bit more cosy. *He still needs a bigger telly, though. No doubt about it.* There was even an ashtray on the living room table. 

Spike lit a cigarette, turned the television on and then walked over into the kitchen. He still remembered, where Giles kept things. He found the cookie jar straight away. An unopened packet of Weetabix greeted him when he opened the cupboard (*Why, Rupert, I didn't know you cared!*). 

Spike had just put the kettle on, when he heard the sound of keys rattling in the lock. 

"Good evening, Spike. I trust you have made yourself feel at home?" Giles greeted him. 

"Yeah, sort of. Haven't unpacked, though." 

"Dawn is with Willow?" 

"Seemed like a good idea. She needed cheering up." 

The watcher just nodded. There was something strange about him. Spike's danger radar picked up some very unusual vibes. Was it ….. resolve? 

"What is it, Rupert? Is this the moment where you deliver your "you-have-no-soul-and-I-will-therefore-never-trust-you"-speech? I thought we had all that covered." Spike threw himself on the sofa and stubbed out his cigarette. In the ashtray. *See, watcher, I'm making an effort, too. Come on, be impressed!* 

Giles remained standing, one hand in the pocket of his jacket. He frowned. "I'll be honest with you, Spike. Well, yes, you're right. I don't trust you. I never did and I never will. Everything I ever learnt about vampires tells me to put a stake through your heart once and for all. I should dust you right here. Take advantage of that chip." Involuntarily Spike backed off a bit. He didn't like the sound of that. 

"And no one would ever know." Giles continued, with just a hint of malice. "A bit of hoovering and Dawn wouldn't find a speck of dust. I could tell her that you changed your mind, that you finally realized what you had gotten yourself into. That you took off to find yourself something more exhilarating to do than helping a fourteen-year-old do her homework. What do you think, Spike, would she believe me?" 

*Bloody hell, he's trying to intimidate me. And what's worse, he is actually succeeding.* He felt his demon nature stirring and had to consciously keep his vamp face from emerging. He tried a shrug. *How on bloody earth am I supposed to make him trust me?* "Yeah, she might. Except that I wouldn't – leave like that, I mean." Spike answered. *He gave me the keys to his house and now he talks about staking me. What made him change his mind? Unless…. Well perhaps giving me the keys was a clever ruse, to deceive Dawn? Oh bugger!* 

"I wonder, if I stake you now, will that chip turn to dust, too?" Giles actually managed to sound, as if he was pondering a particularly interesting scientific phenomenon. This wasn't playful banter. With Buffy Spike had always been reasonably sure that she wouldn't put that pointy wooden thing into his undead heart, as long as he was unable to defend himself properly. Okay, that tiny little bit of uncertainty had added a bit of spice to their encounters. For all his civilized manner and his seeming harmlessness Giles had a ruthless streak. He was resourceful and resilient (*Hell, Mr. Bookworm survived being tortured by Angelus! If I were him I probably wouldn't trust another vampire, either. Not. Ever. Oh boy!*). The Vampire raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Hey, don't get carried away! This IS purely academical interest, right? I mean you're not going to stake your good old comrade-in-arms, Spike, are you?" He got up from the sofa. He wondered whether the watcher had locked the door, when he had come in. Giles still had one hand in the pocket of his jacket. Clutching a stake? 

"Oh, I admit, that you have been a valuable ally for quite some time now," the librarian answered, taking a step towards the vampire. "And even though I find your sense of humour a bit ….puerile, I perceive that you have improved – or should I say evolved – considerably. While I personally believe that the chip is to blame – or rather thank – for this, it is quite possible that I am mistaken and that you are indeed different by choice and not just by force. But...." The word was hanging between them. Like bait. 

"But?" Spike said softly, raising his scarred eyebrow. Involuntarily he took a deep breath, as if bracing for some kind of impact. One of the tell-tale signs that gave away that even vampires were not entirely immune to fear. 

"But I'd rather be safe than sorry." The Librarian said firmly. "If that chip ever were to come out or malfunction, I believe you would try to kill us all, even Dawn. And I can't let that happen." 

Suddenly there was a shrill whistle. The kettle was boiling. 

  


Part 18, by Marguerite 

"Tea?", Spike shook his head no at the watcher's question. Giles smiled mischievously, as he poured the water into his favorite cup. He knew he had the control now, he just had to decide what to do with it. Spike had no choice but to stay and listen or leave and never come back. Anything that the vampire did from this point forward would be either a futile attempt to gain trust or admission of his evil nature giving up his rights to Dawn. *Yes, I've got him right where I need him - scared * 

Spike kept his panic hidden, but the watcher knew… he could see right through him. Spike needed time to think. The game had just changed mid-play, and he needed a new strategy. Anything he said or did could make him lose everything - not just his unlife, but Dawn and the promise he made to Buffy. He couldn't fail her a second time. The best he could do was be patient. There is only one other time he's ever succeed in the waiting game and that was when he remained in the wheelchair even though he could walk. Waiting for his moment, waiting for the perfect plan, watching Angelus seduce his Dru, Listening to the insults in silence - it was torture. But in the end his patience got him what he wanted, even though what he wanted didn't want him any more, but the plan still worked. 

All he needed was patience. If he could manage to not get staked tonight, he would come up with a plan, only he didn't have Buffy to help his this time. He sat on the couch in silence avoiding the watcher, who, from the kitchen, sipped his tea and stared at the vampire with hate in his eyes. 

The two remained like that for hours. An intense psychological chess game, both deep in thought planning their next move. Finally, the silence was broken by a loud ringing of the phone. Spike jumped at the sound, leaping off the couch. Giles smirked at the obviously nervousness of his house guest. 

Spike reached for the hands free button - he needed to play everything open for the next few days. 

"Hello?" 

"Spike?" 

"Yes. Willow? Is anything wrong? Is Dawn ok?" Spike's back stiffened with fear at the thought something might have happened. 

"Um… yes.. Um.. Dawn's ok. Just a little shaken up, you know? She had a dream… it was Buffy… it's hard to explain … Spike, we need you over here now. If Giles is there then I might need him too, but there are a few books he'll need to pick up from the Magic box first. Just come quick…" 

Without looking back at the Watcher, Spike rushed off to the Witches apartment, leaving Giles to get more instructions from Willow. 

  


Part 19, by Snakes 

By the time Spike got to Willow's, he could barely even think. Giles had already put him terribly on edge, and the sense of urgency in the witch's voice over the phone had sent him fully over the edge into panic. He wasn't even trying to hide it when Willow opened the door. "Where's Dawn?! What happened?! Where is she?!" It all came out in a jumble. 

Willow stopped him and whispered anxiously to him, "Spike, you need to calm down. Dawn's going to need you to be calm or you're just going to get her more worked up than she already is." Spike wanted just to push past Willow and run inside to find Dawn, but Willow and Tara had only recently moved out of the dorms and into this apartment, and this was Spike's first time visiting. So he had to wait for the invite. Spike forced himself to outwardly appear calmer, but on the inside, he was still in a frenzy. "Willow, tell me what's going on. You said it was just a dream, but then why the stuff from the magic shop?" 

"I'll explain when Giles gets here. Right now, you need to go to Dawn. She isn't responding to anything Tara or I have tried to do to calm her down. Come in." Spike nodded, and Willow led him into the bedroom where Dawn was sitting on the floor, shaking and crying. "I'll be out in the living room if you need anything", Willow said as she left the room. Spike knelt down beside the frightened girl. He really had no idea what he was supposed to do to help, especially since the witches had already tried unsuccessfully. But as her guardian, he guessed he was just going to have to figure out stuff like this. 

"Hey Nibblet", he said. She didn't even respond. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair. "It's ok, Dawn. Whatever it is, it's going to be ok. I really don't know what to do, but I'm here." He noticed that she stopped shaking although she was still crying quietly. "Can you tell me what's got you so frightened?" She tried to speak, but was too choked up. "It's alright, Little Bit. Give yourself time to calm down." He felt like he was saying all the wrong things, but her tears did seem to be subsiding, so he just waited it out. Finally, she seemed to relax a bit, enough to start talking. 

"I had a dream about Buffy. At least I'd thought it was a dream. But apparently I was talking out loud about magic spells and stuff, ingredients I would never have heard of, words I wouldn't even know. Willow and Tara heard me. They think it was really Buffy talking to me. And the magic stuff, they think it has something to do with a way to bring Buffy back." She shuddered. "But I remember when I tried to bring Mom back. It wasn't right. She wouldn't have been right. Willow and Tara want to find the spell that I was talking about and do it. But what if it does bring Buffy back, but it brings her back... wrong somehow?" 

Spike remembered that all too well. His heart had been in the right place when he'd tried to help her bring her mother back, but it had been the wrong thing to do. "Willow and Tara have a lot more experience with magic than you or I did, Nibblet. I'm sure even if they find the spell, they won't do it if they aren't sure it will be right." 

Dawn shuddered again. "They've done plenty of spells that haven't gone as planned. I'm not so sure they wouldn't risk it to try to bring Buffy back. They miss her almost as much as we do." Dawn looked up at Spike. "What should I do? I want Buffy back, but I don't want a zombie Buffy. I'm not sure I could bring myself to talk them out of trying though." 

"I don't know that I could either", Spike told her. "I want Buffy back too. But you're right, not a zombie Buffy. Let's wait and see what they find out. Maybe then we'll have a better idea what to do." 

Dawn thought for a minute and nodded. "We'll wait. Maybe they won't even find anything." 

She was quiet for a while, and then spoke very quietly. "Spike. There's something else that has me frightened too. There was other stuff in the dream, stuff that either I didn't say out loud, or at least they didn't notice. They were so focused on the magic. But if the magic spell part of the dream wasn't a dream, was really Buffy, then the other part's probably real too. Buffy told me to watch out for you." 

"She wants you to be afraid of me again?" Spike was confused. That didn't make sense. 

"No, not watch out for you _that_ way. She meant, like, that something might happen to you. Something might hurt you. And she wants me to keep an eye out for whatever it is." 

Spike had a pretty good idea what that something, or someone, was. He couldn't very well tell Dawn that though. So he just said, "Well, now I have fair warning to watch my back. If you see Buffy again, thank her for me." 

They headed back into the living room, and found the witches and Giles among some big piles of books. Willow heard Spike and Dawn enter the room and looked up at them. "I think we found the spell." 


	3. Parts 20 - 22

Group Fic 1

Part 20, By Estepheia 

Interlude 

„The stars are confiding in me tonight, do you hear their song?"   
„What is it they tell you?"   
„They tell me that the Princess of Wands is Fallen. The Scarlet Tower tumbled and crumbled. And the flaming gaping maw of hell. It swallowed her, oh what a feast that was. They say she tasted sweet and spicy, like vanilla and rust."   
„What do I care?" Darla did not even make an effort to hide her lack of interest. She sat on a comfortable bone coloured sofa, raising a bloodfilled chalice to her lips. She had never thought much of Drusilla's ramblings and her supposed visions.   
Sometimes Dru had some clever insights, but most of the time Darla found her just intolerably alien and she grew impatient with her quickly.   
Drusilla ignored the other vampire's remark. She clapped her hands in glee. „The stars tell me to hurry up, to catch the tumbling heart of my dark Prince."   
„I thought you said ‚your' Spike is lost to you, forever? This is about ‚Spoike', isn't it?" she asked, imitating Drusilla's accent.   
Drusilla looked at Darla, totally oblivious to her mocking. „Of course I am talking about Spike. Everything talks of Spike, the stars, the moon, even the sun wants to kiss him, or so I heard." She walked through the expensive flat like a sleepwalker   
„Oh, no," she suddenly exclaimed, „but the Knight of Swords will pierce him first." 

„Well, you know where and when the night train leaves for Sunnydale. Don't let me stop you." Darla said, refilling her goblet from the veins of her handsome prey, who lay squirming on the floor. He was gagged and tied up with silken shawls of scarlet hue. His hazel eyes gazed at her in a strange mixture of reverence and abject terror. His eyes and his build reminded her of another – and she pondered whether she should turn this one. What were Dru's obsessions to her, when she had her own hunger to consider.... 

It took Darla a while to notice, that Drusilla had indeed gone. And she hadn't even taken her dolls.... 

  
Part 21, by Snakes 

Willow had informed them that she needed to gather quite a few things before she could attempt the spell. "You guys might as well head home. I'll let you know when I have everything ready". Spike, Dawn, and Giles left Willow to her preparations. 

Spike had no idea what he should do. He knew that the watcher wouldn't have forgotten about wanting to stake him, so it really wasn't safe for Spike to go back to Giles' apartment. But if Spike didn't go back, how could he explain that to Dawn? Even though Dawn knew that Spike was in some kind of danger, she would never expect it to be Giles, so she would just assume that Spike was choosing to abandon her. Giles still had Spike right where he wanted him. Spike's only choices were to go back with Dawn and risk being dusted, or to go somewhere safer and risk losing Dawn completely. Spike was well aware that Giles was watching him and looked up to meet his gaze. The hate was still clear in the watcher's eyes, and the smug look on his face made it clear that he fully expected Spike to leave to save himself. Well, that decided it. Spike was going back with Dawn and would take his chances. Giles' smug look faded a bit as they approached the door to the apartment and Spike was still with them. 

It was very late, and both Dawn and Giles headed off to bed. Spike stayed up. He usually slept during the day anyway, and obviously he would have to find someplace other than here to get some sleep, so he could remain awake and alert whenever he was around Giles. He'd worry about where later. As he was anxiously considering his situation, he heard a light rapping on the door of the apartment. Who would be here at this time of night? He quietly went to open the door. "Dru?!" 

Giles could hear Spike talking to someone out in the living room. It obviously wasn't Dawn. Giles got out of bed, pulled some clothes on, and went out to see what was going on. He saw Spike standing in the doorway of the apartment, having what appeared to be a very intense conversation with someone standing just outside the door. Spike turned when he heard Giles behind him, and Giles saw Drusilla standing in the hallway. She quickly turned and ran off. Spike shut the door. 

Anger flared in the watcher. He approached Spike slowly. "So, I was right about you after all. You are obviously plotting something with Drusilla." 

"Giles, back off. It's not like I invited her here, she just showed up. I was sending her away before you even came out here." Spike stepped to the side, trying to move away from where Giles was quickly cornering him by the door. "Enough of your lies, Spike. You're dangerous even with the chip. You'll just get Dru to do what you can't. I'm not letting this go on any farther." He pulled out a stake. Just as he was swinging it at Spike, he heard Dawn scream behind him. It distracted him only slightly, but enough that the stake which plunged into Spike's chest missed his heart by several inches. Spike slumped to the floor in pain. "SPIKE!" Dawn was by his side in seconds. 

"Dawn, get away from him. He's still dangerous. I caught him with Drusilla, obviously plotting our deaths." 

Dawn ignored Giles, intent on the injured vampire. "Spike, I'm so sorry. Buffy warned me, but I still didn't manage to prevent this. I'm still just bringing pain on the people I care about." Before he answered, Spike gritted his teeth and yanked out the stake. "Nibblet. You watched out for me exactly as Buffy asked you to do. If you hadn't come out here when you did, the stake... wouldn't have missed. You didn't bring this on me. You saved my unlife." 

"Dawn, what do you mean Buffy warned you? What were you supposed to prevent?" Dawn turn to look at Giles, but ignored his questions. "Is there anyone you're NOT willing to kill? I was prepared to ignore the fact that you were willing to kill me, considering that it was the whole 'prevent an apocalypse' thing..." Giles interupted her, "Who said I would have killed you? Did that thing", he gestured at Spike, "tell you that?" Dawn glared at Giles, "NO ONE told me! No one tells me anything! Everyone figures little Dawnie can't handle it! But you've all talked it when you thought I couldn't hear you!" 

She turned back to Spike. "Can you get up?" Spike pushed himself to a sitting position, and then struggled to his feet. 

"Dawn! What did you mean about Buffy warning you?!" 

"In the 'dream' I had over at Willow's, Buffy told me someone was trying to hurt Spike. She wanted me to protect him. I wish she'd been a little more specific! Come on Spike, we need to get that bandaged up, then you're staying in my room where I can keep an eye out for you better. If Buffy gets back, I don't want her to be mad at me for letting you get hurt. I have a sleeping bag, so I'll be fine on the floor. You can have my bed." 

"The floor's fine for me, Nibblet. You can have the bed." 

"You're the one who's injured. You get the bed." 

They were walking toward the rooms, still arguing. Giles stared after them in shock. Buffy had warned Dawn about him? Told Dawn to protect Spike? 

Just before they disappeared into Dawn's room, Giles shouted after them, "Spike! WHY WAS DRUSILLA HERE?!" Spike didn't even look back as he answered bitterly, "Among other things, she came to warn me about you, too." 

  
Part 22, by Marguerite 

Giles was confused. He laid in bed staring at the ceiling. He couldn't believe that the PTB would send two messages warning the vampire. He was confident that he was right in not trusting Spike. Dawn was being fooled, it had to be. He new that Dawn felt he had liked the rush that killing Ben had given him, but that was different. He had been willing to kill Dawn and but what she didn't know is when we was honest with himself he wished he had, rather then have Buffy gone. He let out a loud sigh. How did he ever manage to invite the two people he wanted dead in this world into his house. * Well… it's not like I want Dawn dead, it's more about it being less complicated without her * 

Spike was confused. He laid on the floor, staring at the ceiling. The watcher had tried to kill him, just a few seconds off and Dawn would have been screaming at a cloud of dust. His mind spead through a mass of confusion… Dawn, Buffy, Giles, Dru. Dawn had saved his life. There might be a way to get Buffy back. Giles wanted to kill him. Dawn now knew that Giles wanted to kill him. Dru came from LA to warn him and try to seduce him back. Images and scenes from the day flashed through his mind. He tossed in his sleeping bag and tried to focus, he needed to plan not freak out. 

Dawn was confused. She listened while the vampire beside her tossed and turned in her sleeping bag. She though how the movements must be painful with the open wound. She had barely been able to stomach cleaning the wound and wrapping it. They had decided to wait until on of the scoobies could come over to stitch him up. Dawn sighed at the realization that she almost lost Spike. She would never have recovered from that. Then there was the issue with Buffy. She couldn't allow herself to hope… 

Finally the three drifted off into a restless sleep… 

Giles dreamed of Buffy standing over his bed looking at him with disappointment. He tried to explain to her… but could not. 

Spike dreamed of Buffy standing over his sleeping bag looking at him crying. She explain that she tried to stop this from happening, but she had failed 

Dawn dreamed of Buffy standing over her bed looking at her with compassion. She consoled her and explained that she would be back and things would be set right again. 

When Dawn and Spike went downstairs the next morning they found that Giles had already left for the day. From a quick glance at his room it appeared that he had taken enough stuff to be away for a while. 

Neither Dawn or Spike spoke of the events of the evening before, but sat in silence waiting for the next life changing event to happen. 

And it did… 

  



	4. Parts 23 - 25

Part 23, by Demon  
  
A few evenings later, Willow called to tell them that she and Tara had everything ready for the  
spell. Everyone got together over at Willow's. Almost everyone. Xander and Anya were there, and  
of course Spike and Dawn had rushed over there. Willow asked Dawn if Giles was on his way. Dawn  
said only that they didn't know where he was and they hadn't been able to find him to tell him  
but they had left him a note. Willow decided to go ahead without him.  
  
Dawn was worried. She wasn't sure wether to be more worried about Buffy coming back as some kind  
of zombie or not coming back at all. She hoped that Buffy hadn't been a dream last night, and  
that Buffy reassuring her that things would be ok was real. But she was still scared.  
  
They were all sitting on the floor in a circle, while Willow chanted and tossed herbs and other  
magic items into the center of the circle. Everyone was supposed to concentrate on some good  
memory of Buffy. Dawn had trouble focusing. She worried if it matter if the memory was real or  
not since most of hers weren't. Just to be safe, she didn't let herself use any of her best  
memories, since those were too long ago to be real. Spike had trouble focusing. Most of his  
memories of Buffy, she was insulting him, hitting him, or threatening him. Tara and Anya were  
worried about the fact that they didn't really know Buffy really well and they hoped that  
wouldn't wreck the spell. Xander was worried because they were doing the spell without Giles  
there. Willow was completely confident that soon Buffy would be back.  
  
A ghostlike form appeared in the center of the circle. It looked like, Buffy, but was  
transparent, barely visible. It kneeled in turn in front of each person in the circle. First  
Tara, then Anya, Xander, and Willow. It didn't speak outloud, but each person could hear her ask  
about their memory, and each thought it, and she appeared to hear them and respond. The figure  
came and kneeled in front of Spike. *Hi Spike. I sure hope you managed to come up with something  
that didn't involve me insulting, hitting, or threatening you.* He was worried that she was  
upset that he was there, but he saw that she was smiling. He thought to her, *You stood up for  
me when we fled town and the others wanted you to leave me behind.* She gave him a funny look.  
*You didn't pick to remember me kissing you?* He looked back a bit sheepishly, *I didn't want to  
remind you of the stupid robot. Oh damn! I just did!* The ghostly Buffy laughed. She reached a  
hand out to touch Spike's cheek. She wasn't solid and it felt like a warm breeze brushing his  
face. Finally, she moved on to Dawn. *Buffy, I was afraid to pick a memory. Most of mine aren't  
real. All I could think of was that you actually liked that silly picture frame I gave you for  
your birthday.* Ghost-buffy smiled. *That's perfect Dawn.* Then Buffy stood up and disappeared.  
  
They were all stunned. It had been amazing talking to Buffy, but she was gone again. They heared  
a noise coming from the bedroom, and Buffy, a solid looking Buffy, walked out to join them in  
the living room.  
  
  
Part 24, by William the Bloody  
  
Buffy saw her friends and sister, and ran out to greet them! She thanked them for bringing her  
back, and they were all hugging as if they'd never thought they'd see each other again, which of  
course they hadn't. Spike had seperated himself from the group and was standing in the shadows  
of the hallway watching the happy reunion.  
  
He felt out of place. Even though her ghost form hadn't seemed upset at him being there, he knew  
he couldn't expect her to feel the same way about seeing him again as she did about Dawn and  
Willow and Xander and the others. So he stayed away, trying not to interfere with her happiness  
at being back with her friends.  
  
Buffy looked around the room as she pulled her sister over to her. "Dawn, where's Spike? He was  
here during the spell." Dawn gestured subtly over towards the hall. "I think he's afraid that  
you don't want to see him." Buffy squeezed Dawn's hand. "I'll be right back, ok?" Buffy walked  
back into the hallway and found Spike leaning against the wall staring at the floor. He looked  
up when he heard her approach him and she looked into his eyes. "You did a good job taking care  
of Dawn. I wish I could have gotten to her in time to take better care of you. I was almost too  
late." She reached out and very gently touched his chest where the stake wound was barely  
starting to heal. "You know what happened?" he asked. "Yeah, I do. I hope you can understand  
that he was only doing what he thought was best. When I see him, I'll make sure I let him know  
that him staking you was out of line. Killing you is my job!" She turned and headed back towards  
the rest of the group.  
  
He was stunned and hurt, because he hadn't expected her to be thrilled to see him, but he at  
least didn't think she still wanted to kill him. She stopped when she realized he wasn't  
following her. She turned back and reached a hand out to him. "Aren't you coming?". She smiled  
at him and he understood that she'd been teasing him. He stepped forward and she took his hand  
and started to pull him along with her. He pulled her back to him. "Buffy. I hate to ask this,  
but Dawn and I were both worried about you not coming back right. We thought you might come back  
as a zombie Buffy. Uh... you're not an unnaturaly happy, love everybody, zombie Buffy? Are you?"  
She smilead at him again. "No, I'm not a zombie! Being dead just made me appreciate what I had,  
or could have had while I was alive." She kept ahold of his hand and pulled him back with her as  
she rejoined the rest of her friends.  
  
  
Part 25, by Snakes  
  
It was late when the gang finally left Willow's apartment to head home. Buffy and Dawn needed to  
stop off at Giles' apartment to pick up a few things. They wanted to stay in their own house,  
but almost everything had been moved out. They'd pick up Dawn's sleeping bag and a bunch of  
blankets and pillows, and they would worry about starting to get the house back in order after  
they'd gotten some sleep. Spike walked along with Buffy and Dawn, as he needed to get his few  
belongings back also.  
  
As they left Giles' apartment, and Buffy and Dawn turned to head toward the house, Spike stopped  
walking and sighed. "I guess this is goodnight, since my crypt's off in the other direction."  
The sisters turned to look at each other. They didn't need any words between them to understand  
the identical expressions they saw on each other's face. Buffy turned to Spike. "You're not  
going back to your crypt." He looked confused. "Well, where am I supposed to go? I do need a  
place to stay."  
  
"Spike, legally, you're Dawn's guardian. And officially, I'm dead. You'll be staying at our  
house, taking care of your responsibilities."  
  
"You want me to stay with you? Until you can clear up the whole being dead thing and have  
custody of Dawn back?" He was hesitant to read too much into Buffy's words.  
  
Buffy looked over at him. "You'll have to stay longer than that. I can't get all fangy when  
Social Services starts threatening me with taking Dawn away. Not that I haven't wanted to growl  
at them…" She got a bit of a wistful look on her face at the thought of growling at the Social  
Services people. "That seemed pretty effective when you used it before. I'm trusting you'll help  
me… help us keep Dawn."  
  
He was a happy vampire as he turned to follow the sisters back to their house. Even though Buffy  
was back, he was still part of the family.  



	5. Parts 26 - 28

Part 26, by Estepheia  
  
It had been close to daybreak when Rupert Giles woke up. He heard birds chirping outside the window, greeting the surise. His sleep had been restless. There had been dreams so horrible that his consciousness shied away from the memory. All he had been left with was a metallic taste in his mouth, a racing heartbeat and an almost overwhelming sense of dread.  
  
After getting up he had quickly gotten dressed, feeling strangely dissatisfied with his wardrobe. He had packed an overnight bag, and filled a small suitcase with a few selected books, before leaving the house. He hadn't even taken the time to have breakfast. He had just wanted to leave the house, to get away from that vampire.  
  
He had driven to the shop to pick up some more books, his diary, his old golden pocket watch, his trusty 1875 Single Action Remington Army Revolver (which was in an annoying state of neglect), and the framed photograph of his Slayer.  
  
After writing a note to Anya, asking her to look after the shop for a few days, he had treated himself to coffee at a Diner. He had withdrawn money from his account, locked up his luggage at Sunnydale Station and then wandered through town, as if seeing it for the first time. He had bought several newspapers and studied them.  
  
Now, three days later, he had a new wardrobe, the scruffy beginnings of a beard, new lodgings and an arsenal of weapons, suitable to fight all kinds of foes, vampires, demons and human traitors.  
  
He picked up the framed photograph of his Slayer. It was faded, but the beauty and strength of the young girl were evident. „Bald, Emma, sehr bald." (Soon, Emma, very soon.) He didn't even notice he was speaking in German.  
  
  
  
Part 27, by William the Bloody  
  
Spike, Buffy, and Dawn had slept remarkably well, considering that they had slept on the floor in an empty living room. They didn't even bother getting up until around noon. Buffy heated up some food that she'd thought to grab while they were at Giles' apartment, and they all sat around eating and planning the upcoming evening. Spike and Dawn both wanted to start moving stuff back to the house as soon as the sun was down and Spike could go out, but Buffy felt that other matters needed to be attended to first.  
  
"You guys said that Giles has been gone for a few days, and Anya mentioned that he'd left her a note to watch the shop for him. I really think we need to figure out where he's gone and go find him."  
  
Spike glared at Buffy. "Why the bloody hell would we want to do that?! Remember... Giles... wooden stake... almost dead Spike?!"  
  
Buffy set her plate of food down in front of her and tried to keep from losing her temper. "He IS still my watcher, and my friend! He thought he was doing what was right, and I TOLD you I would talk to him about it!  
  
Spike looked at Buffy strangely. "You'll talk to him?" Spike asked calmly. Then he shouted, "He wants to KILL ME! Is this like when you EXPLAINED to Willow that 'Attacking Glory. Not a good thing'?" His attempt to mimic Buffy was quite bad, but it was still obvious he was making fun of her.   
  
Buffy was furious. She stomped upstairs to her empty bedroom and slammed the door loudly. Spike visibly flinched at the sound of the slamming door. He looked sadly over at Dawn. "I didn't mean to..."   
  
"I know", Dawn answered. "That's Buffy for ya."   
  
  
  
Part 28, by Snakes  
  
"I suppose I should go up and apologize, but how can she expect me to help find someone who just tried to kill me a few days ago?" Spike had no idea what he should do. That seemed to be happening a lot lately. He remembered when times had been much simpler, and he hadn't spent all of his time confused.  
  
"I'll go up and talk to her, Spike", Dawn offered.  
  
"You think you can get her to understand?"   
  
"No, but I know I can irritate her enough that she'll forget she's mad at you." Dawn grinned at Spike. "I've always had a knack for driving her crazy."  
  
Dawn ran up the stairs and barged into Buffy room without knocking. Spike could hear them arguing, but he couldn't tell what they were saying. He hadn't meant to get the sisters into a fight. He seemed to be doing everything wrong. Maybe he should still move back to his crypt. Finally he heard Buffy stomping back down the stairs, grumbling, "Little sisters! Ugh! I swear she's going to make me insane!" Spike felt terrible until he saw Dawn follow her sister down the stairs. Dawn grinned at Spike and gave him the thumbs up.  
  
Buffy hadn't seen Dawn's signal to Spike, although she knew that Dawn had followed her back downstairs. Buffy walked over to Spike. "I'm sorry, Spike. I do need to find Giles. I hope you can understand that. But I don't have the right to expect you to help after what he did. You're right that there's a definite possibility that he won't listen to me", she sighed, "So I guess you shouldn't be around when I try to talk some sense into him."  
  
"I'm sorry too, Buffy. I really don't want to find Giles, for obvious reasons, but I will at least help you try to find out where he is. But I'm not going with you to try to get him to come back. Ok?" Buffy nodded. "That's fair. Let's head over to the magic shop to talk to Anya. Maybe she has some information on where he went."  
  
They arrived at the magic shop to find Anya frantically looking over everything in the shop, and scribbling notes on a clipboard. They barely even managed to get her attention, and then she just mumbled something incoherently to them before going back to her intense scrutiny of the shop items. Xander was also standing there watching her. He looked over at Buffy and Spike with a baffled but somewhat amused look on his face. "My girlfriend has apparently lost her mind. She's been doing this for the past two hours, ever since the Watcher's Council called. I've never seen her this intent on taking inventory before. Hey Anya!" Anya looked up briefly, then went back to her inventory. "Anya!" "What, Xander?! Can't you see I'm busy?!"   
  
Buffy interrupted, "Watcher's Council? The council called? What did they want?"   
  
Xander replied, "All I've been able to get out of her is that they want her to take inventory."   
  
Buffy walked up to Anya. "Anya, can you stop that long enough to tell me what's going on. Why did the Watcher's Council call? Were they trying to get in touch with Giles about something?"  
  
Anya looked very irritated. "Well, since you're obviously not going to leave me alone, I guess I don't have much choice. The Watcher's Council called to say that they think Giles took stuff from the shop when he left."  
  
Spike asked, "Why does it matter if he took stuff?" Anya looked at him like he was an idiot. "If Giles took stuff, it's not here to sell! If I can't sell it, we don't make money off it! How can you act like that doesn't matter?"  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Of course that's important, Anya. But why did the council care that Giles took stuff from the shop? I doubt they're concerned about loss of sales."  
  
Anya thought for a minute, "Oh, I think they said something about needing to know what he took. They think that he might have been affected somehow by certain items we had, and they want to know if he took those. Most of the items they mentioned didn't seem very valuable though." She shrugged and went back to work.  



	6. Parts 29 - 31

Part 29  
  
Interlude  
  
Drusilla stood outside Spike's crypt searching the sky for a sign of reassurance. But, alas, the stars were silent tonight, sulking like wicked children.  
  
The cemetery was deserted. The town was asleep. Sunnydale's vampire population had long ago finished hunting for tonight. Their insatiable thirst dulled, they had made their way back to their lairs in abandoned houses or caves, of which the the town of Sunnydale had such an abundance. Some would not return to their hiding places. Some would have turned to dust tonight, killed in territorial squabbles or in disputes about precedence and tomorrow night new ones would rise.  
  
Sunrise was near. The sky was already blushing in anticipation. Drusilla could almost sense the sun rushing towards her, feeling its speed like a loud roar only she could hear, smelling its coppery scent as it blistered just beyond the horizon. The sun was a merciless lover, though, it would hurt her, set her skin on fire and devour her. Naughty sun! Drusilla giggled and blew a kiss towards the horizon, then she turned and sought refuge in Spike's crypt.  
  
It was a place were horrible memories lingered. A place that smelled of dreams, hope, despair, humiliation, jealousy and unrequited love. A place that smelled of Spike. It moved her undead heart, squeezing it, crushing it. Drusilla was intoxicated by the images and impressions that assaulted her senses. Another breathless giggle escaped her, as she danced through the crypt to the inaudible sounds of Chopin's Nocturne.  
  
Eventually the music in her head faded. She turned on the television and unpacked her brushes, beautiful antiques Spike had given her years ago. She couldn't remember the year, but she did recall that Spike had worn a straw hat and a cane in those days and that they had spent many evenings going to theatre plays where many pretty girls sang and danced a lot. Sitting down on Spike's bed (she hated his old green armchair) and listening to the sounds of the tv she began to brush her hair. A hundred strokes, like her mother had taught her. Oh, how she longed for Spike to run his hand through her long raven curls. How she longed for the touch of his hands.  
  
"I wonder, where Miss Edith and Miss Abigail are." She said to herself, while she plaited her hair with nimble fingers "I would give them some violets but they ran away. Wicked. Everyone I love just goes away. I will make garlands of rosemary and pansies to catch them."  
  
She buried her face in the cushion, inhaling deeply in order to taste even the finest trace of his scent. Cigarettes, a hint of soap, hairgel and leather. Her mind walked through shreds of dreams that still clung to the sheets. She smiled and closed her eyes. Immersing herself in nightmares and fantasies that weren't her own she fell asleep, oblivious to the sounds of the television. Tomorrow she would hunt for the Knight of Swords.  
  
  
  
Part 30, by MARCEE  
  
"Schuetzen," Giles muttered as he stumbled through the cemetery. He had lost all semblance of his former self. Although he had purchased a new wardrobe, he was still wearing the same clothes he had on since he had left his apartment almost a week ago. His hair was matted to his head, his stubble had grown into an approximation of a full beard and, at some point in the last few days, he had lost his glasses. "Protect the Slayer," he yelled into the darkening night.  
  
Suddenly, he spun around, stake in hand. Drusilla was upon him in an instant. "Finally, the Knight of Swords," the words dripped from her lips like blood . They were struggling now, on the wet earth of the cemetery. Giles rolled to his right before Drusilla could pin him down. Her fangs glared bright white in the light of the moon. She rose, her yellow eyes glowed eerily as she tilted her head to the sky. "Where did he come from? Why is he back?" Drusilla murmured as she stood above Giles gazing into the moonlight, "It has been a long time." Giles, slow to rise, backed away from Drusilla until his back encountered a tree. "It's pretty," Drusilla whispered, "the moon, sometimes, it looked different from my window." She cocked her head as if hearing a response. Giles turned and ran, lurching and reeling as if drunk. Drusilla was pulled out of her reverie in time to watch Giles disappear into the city. "The Knight will return," she sighed, "and I'll be there to welcome him."  
  
***  
  
"I'm starting to get worried," Buffy said. She was sitting at her kitchen table. Willow was at the fridge, grabbing a container of orange juice.  
  
"I know. It's odd that he'd just disappear without contacting us," Willow answered as she poured the drink.  
  
Dawn came downstairs. "What's up?" she asked.  
  
Buffy answered, "Nothing, how's Spike?"  
  
"He's still sleeping, looks like the wound is almost healed," she answered sitting down across from Buffy. "So? Have we heard from Giles yet?"  
  
Buffy stared down at a random spot on the table and shook her head.  
  
Willow chimed in, "Don't worry, Dawnie, I'm gonna look up some locator spells when I get to the shop today, ya know, just to make sure everything's okay."  
  
***  
  
At the magic shop, Willow and Tara sat together on the floor with books scattered between them. Anya was at the counter with pencil and paper. Buffy, Spike and Dawn's arrival was indicated by the comforting chime of the bells on the front door. Buffy headed straight to the counter.  
  
"Anya, do we know what items Giles took with him?" she asked, leaning over the counter to see what Anya was writing.  
  
"Yes," she answered, swiping her materials off the counter. Reciting from the list she compiled, "Moltavian Powder, Sigmara's Bracelet, 3 Incan gems and the Sermomortus Crystal."  
  
Upon hearing that last item, Tara's head bolted upright. "W-what could he p-possibly want with that?" she stuttered.  
  
Willow looked at her Love with concern.  
  
"What's the Sermomor-thingy for?" Buffy asked.  
  
Willow answered, "Remember that purpley-crystal thing Giles had in that box behind the counter?"  
  
Spike interrupted, "It gives the wearer the power to channel the dead."  
  
  
  
Part 31, by William the Bloody  
  
"Channel the dead?" Buffy asked in confusion. "Why would Giles want to do that?"  
  
Willow shook her head. "It's not necessarily a matter of want. Yeah, a person can use it that way on purpose, but there's a reason Giles always kept it locked up in its box behind the counter and not out on display. If a person's not careful, the crystal can force a channeling. More like a possession."  
  
"Anya", Buffy asked hastily, "has anything unusual happened with the crystal?"   
  
"No. When Giles had it out, nothing happened to it. It's not like he dropped it or anything. Which is good. I hate when people damage the merchandise."  
  
"He had it out?" Willow asked. "When?"   
  
"Oh, I think it was just a few days ago. I don't really remember. Someone had called about wanting to buy it. I think they changed their mind though. Oh yeah, they definitely did. I remember that Giles was rather upset when the sale didn't go through. Said the profit from that would have paid for all those clothes Spike made him buy."  
  
Willow looked at Spike. "Think! Did Giles make any threats toward you before the shopping trip?"   
  
Spike shook his head. "No. He'd actually been helpful before that, offering Dawn and I a place to stay, and even writing me a letter of reference saying he was my employer. It wasn't until we moved in that he started threatening me. You think something happened when he tried to sell the crystal? Or did I just piss him off that bad by making him spend money?"  
  
Willow looked up at everyone. "Did anyone else notice Giles acting strange, starting around that time?"  
  
Anya slowly raised her hand. Buffy looked at her annoyed. "Anya, I thought you said nothing unusual happened."  
  
Anya spoke up, sounding a little more subdued than her norm. "Well, I didn't really think it was strange at the time."   
  
Everyone looked at her. She looked a bit uncomfortable under everybody's stares. "Giles is always mumbling in all sorts of languages, stuff out of his books, so it didn't seem all that odd. But it's not usually in German. He seemed to be talking in German. A lot."   
  
Willow looked over at Tara. "What do you think? Sermomortus Crystal?" Tara nodded. "It doesn't take much to trigger those. And he had it out just shortly before the trouble started."   
  
Willow agreed. "Well, I guess we better start the locator spell. I sure hope we don't have to go all the way to Germany to try to find him."  



	7. Parts 32 - 34

Part 32, by MARCEE  
  
It was well after midnight by the time the gang had gathered everything they needed for the spell. Tara and Willow sat in the center of a circle formed by the remainder of the gang, including Spike, who was now considered an honorary member. On the floor between the witches laid an ancient scroll, a triangle of yellow powder and, in the center of the triangle, one of Giles' handkerchiefs. Each of the Scoobies had an air of solemnity about them, even Xander - who's been known crack jokes to break the tension in such moments. Instead, everyone remained silent. Spike was seated next to Buffy and although he knew he should be concentrating on the task at hand, he was finding it difficult to ignore the smell of her hair and the heat of her body next to his. Being so close to her; Buffy - alive! It was just...surreal.  
  
"Reperio vultus peto," Willow murmured, eyes closed.  
  
"Exhibeo induco productum," Tara continued.  
  
The triangle of powder began to glow giving an eery yellow cast to the witches' faces. The gang watched in awe.  
  
"Initium!" Willow shouted; her eyes rolled back in her head.  
  
The yellow glow began to spread across the floor. Tara blinked and looked around the room.  
  
"It's begun," she said.  
  
"What do we do?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Follow the path that we are given," Tara answered then looked at Willow.  
  
"What? Right Now?" Xander asked. "We just get up and play 'follow-the-yellow-lit-road?'"  
  
Spike ignored Xander's question, "What about Will?"  
  
Tara turned to the vampire, "She'll be alright. Her powers are stronger than mine; she's concentrating on keeping the path lit for us. She has to stay here while we follow the trail."  
  
"Okay, let's get moving," Buffy stood and the group, minus Willow, headed toward the door. Upon stepping outside, there was an audible gasp. Spike cowered in the shadow of the door, instinctively shielding himself from the yellow light that seemed to fill their world. It took him several moments to realize it was still many hours before sunrise; he felt absolutely foolish and hoped no one had noticed. Dawn giggled.  
  
"It's like daylight out here," Dawn said, snickering quietly.  
  
"Isn't it past your bedtime, Luv?" Spike whispered to her.  
  
Everywhere they looked was colored in yellow light. It seems, if the spell worked correctly, that Giles had been around town a few hundred times.  
  
"Do you think this is what it feels like to be inside a lightbulb," Anya pondered aloud.  
  
"More like we've all been fitted with banana-colored glasses," Xander replied.  
  
Buffy took charge, "Xander, Anya, you guys follow that yellow trail," indicating the line that went directly through the center of town. "Tara, please take Dawn and wait at Giles's apartment. It should be safe there. We can all meet at his place once we've finished our trails. If..." she stopped her self and took a deep breath, then began again, "When we find him, we'll bring him back there," Tara nodded and took Dawn's hand nervously. "Spike - you'll come with me through the cemetery," she pointed at the yellow trail in that direction.  
  
As the gang parted ways, Buffy called back to Anya, "Anya, make sure you lock up the shop so that Willow is safe."   
  
  
  
Part 33, by snakes  
  
Buffy and Spike walked in silence towards the cemetery, following the glow of Will's tracer spell. Spike looked over at Buffy, noticing her deeply concerned expression. He wanted to comfort her, but could think of little to say that wasn't likely only to make her feel worse. "Buffy?" "Yeah?" "I wish there was more I could do to help."   
  
Buffy replied gently, "Spike, I had agreed that you didn't have to come with me to try to get Giles back, but you came with me anyway. That's more than enough."   
  
"I couldn't really let you go off looking for a possessed watcher without me there to watch your back. I couldn't let you down again."   
  
Buffy sensed Spike's remorse, and tried to lighten his mood. "Well, we don't know for sure he's possessed. He could just be majorly pissed off that he spent all that money on nice clothes for you, and here you are wearing the same old outfit you always wear" she teased him.  
  
Spike looked down at himself. "Hey! I think I look damn good in this!" he smirked.  
  
Buffy looked him up and down. "I can't deny that" she smirked back. "But it would be nice to see how you look in something else for once."  
  
Spike got quiet again and looked rather hurt.  
  
"Spike? Did I say something wrong?"  
  
"Buffy, I was wearing a whole new outfit the day I finally admitted to you that I loved you. I had them on when I tried to talk to you at The Bronze, and when we were staking out the warehouse. I'd picked out some stuff I thought you might like. Your mum even said they looked nice." He paused for a minute before finishing, "You never even noticed."   
  
Buffy thought for a minute, but couldn't remember him in anything but his same black t-shirt and jeans. "I know I didn't like you much then, at least not that I'd have admitted to, but I wonder why I didn't even notice that you'd changed clothes. Considering that you've always worn the same thing, I would think that a change would be shockingly obvious."  
  
"You didn't notice, because you didn't really see me. You only saw the image of me that you had in your head. You didn't bother to actually SEE me."  
  
Buffy thought about that. "You're right, Spike. It took a long time for me to really start to see you." She looked at him. "Do you still have that outfit?" "Yeah." "When this is all over, will you give me another chance to see you in it? Another chance to really see YOU?"   
  
"Hell, you can see any of me you want, Buffy!" He grinned evilly at her.   
  
She punched him lightly on the arm. "Stop that!" she snapped. But she was smiling at him as she said it. He grin dropped away, and he looked at the ground a bit shyly.   
  
Their friendly banter came to a halt, as the line of light they were following suddenly seemed to twist all over into a knot, before finally straightening out and continuing off into the distance. "I wonder what happened here", Buffy said in confusion, but she began to walk past the knot of light to where the line continued on the other side. She noticed that Spike, however, was walking around the area where the light twisted torturously around itself. He was staring at the area intently.  
  
"Spike? What is it?"  
  
He looked at Buffy, concerned. "Dru was here."  
  
"How can you tell?   
  
"I can't explain it really. I can just feel her presence here."  
  
Buffy felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Was Dru here at the same time as Giles?"  
  
"That I can't tell, but based on his erratic movement in the area, I'd guess yes."  
  
"What if she did something to Giles?"   
  
"Buffy, his path continues on from where you're standing. He left here alive. If she'd done anything to him, his trail would have ended here." Spike looked rather concerned himself. "I was wondering if he did anything to her. He was quite stake-happy last I saw him."  
  
They looked at each other, then silently began following the light trail again. They followed it through and back out of the cemetery. They walked up and down streets and back alleys. Both of them were approaching the point of exhaustion when the light trail finally led them into an old apartment building. They found themselves standing outside the door of one of the apartments. "Ok…" Spike said, "Who's going to knock?"  
  
  
  
Part 34, by Estepheia  
  
"We're going to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz..." Xander hummed.  
"We are?" Anya asked. "There is a wizard of Oz? Never heard of him. What do we want with him? Oh right, I get it, it's only a movie or song, right?"  
"Right." Xander gave her an affectionate hug.  
Anya smiled happily.  
They were walking along Sunnydale Main Street.  
"Looks like the G-Man got himself a little cash." Xander said, when the yellow "road" led them to the bank.  
"And a new outfit." Five minutes later they stood in front of a men's clothing store.  
"Xander, I was wondering if I shouldn't create a website to put some photos of me in the internet. A lot of women do it, and with the extra money we could get a car."  
"What photos? Oh, you mean... No way, Ahn!"  
"Why not?"  
"Because I don't want the whole world to stare at my fiancee's boobs!"  
Anya was about to ask "why not" but then it came to her."  
"You're jealous," she stated.  
"You bet I am."  
Anya nodded proudly. "Okay. Then I won't."  
Xander sighed with relief.  
"Xander?"  
"Yes?"  
"Did you notice, I didn't bring this up in front of your friends!"  
"Wow, Ahn, you've really come a long way."  
  
He was about to add something really meaningful and funny, when he felt a sudden sting at his shoulder. He whirled around clutching his shoulder but already drowsieness overcame him. It was suddenly difficult to keep his eyes open. As he collapsed he saw a man slowly sauntering towards them. It was Giles but he looked ... all wrong. The man had a beard, he was wearing black jeans, a white shirt, a black vest and a billowing grey coat.And he was carrying a stun gun. Xander also noticed the golden chain of a pocket watch and the purposeful stride of the other man, which was totally different from Giles's normal style. In fact, to Xander Giles looked very much like one of the "Long Riders"  
  
Xander dimly noticed that Anya was kneeling next to him, she was saying something, but he couldn't make out what it was. He wanted to tell her to run away but the words just wouldn't come out. The last thing Xander saw before he lost consciousness was his furious fiancee hurtling herself at Wild West Giles. 


	8. Parts 35 - 36

Part 35, by William the Bloody  
  
"I'll knock", said Buffy. "Maybe you should go wait down the hall, just in case."   
  
"I'm not getting that far away from you until we know what we're up against."  
  
She said, "Ok, but at least stand out of view of the door. So not wanting a dusty Spike now." She gave him a little smile. He stepped back and leaned against the wall next to the doorway while she knocked on the door. Nobody answered.   
  
"I don't hear anybody in there, Buffy." Spike said.   
  
"No? Well, maybe we should just break in."  
  
"You could try the door first."  
  
"Oh, yeah, I guess I could." She grabbed the doorknob. The door was locked, however, and Spike ended up having to pick the lock. Buffy entered the apartment.   
  
Spike whispered anxiously, "Be careful! I can't come in to help you if anything happens!"  
  
"I'll be ok. You said he's probably not even here." She searched the whole apartment but found no one. "All this way, and we don't even find him", sighed Buffy. As she was about to leave, something on the small table by the door caught her eye.   
  
She reached over and picked up a framed picture of a girl, who looked to be about Dawn's age. The picture was obviously very old. There was also an equally old book sitting next to where the picture had been. Buffy set down the picture and picked up the book. It was all hand written, but it wasn't in English. "Well, that's not much help."  
  
"What's not, luv?"  
  
"This. It's not written in English."  
  
"Can I see it?" Spike asked. Buffy stepped out into the hallway and handed the book to him. "It's German", he said.  
  
"Oh, Anya said Giles had been talking in German. I wonder if there's anything in there that would give us more information. We'd better find someone who's knows German."  
  
"I can read it, luv", Spike said as he flipped through the pages.   
  
"What? YOU know German?" She sounded doubtful.  
  
"I've been around a long time, and traveled a lot. Picked up a few things."  
  
She watched him a bit awed. She realized how little she really knew about him, and hoped to have a chance to remedy that.  
  
Spike turned to the most recent entry. He gradually went back a few pages, before lowering the book away from his face. "You're not going to like this, Buffy. It's a watcher's diary."   
  
"Well, Giles always kept a diary. Maybe he's just practicing his foreign languages…" Buffy said hopefully.  
  
"It's not Giles' handwriting. It's much larger and neater than his. Giles writes in this tiny, messy, almost indecipherable scrawl. Also, the slayer's name is Emma. You haven't changed your name to Emma, have you?"  
  
"I guess Giles must be reading old watchers' diaries. Giles. Dusty old books. Pretty normal mix." She was desperately avoiding acknowledging what was going on.  
  
Spike grabbed her firmly by the shoulder and looked her directly in the eye. He needed to get through to her. "Buffy, most of the pages in this book, the ink is very old and slightly faded. But the last few entries are new." He showed her the pages where the old faded ink gave way to obviously recent writing. "Buffy, Giles is possessed by this other watcher. It would explain his suddenly wanting to stake me. Although he still seemed to know who I was, about the chip and everything, so he isn't totally gone, or at least wasn't before he left."  
  
Buffy reached back through the door and took the picture that she assumed must be Emma. "Bring the diary, Spike. We'd better take this stuff and get back to meet with the others. Oh god, we've got a long walk back!"  
  
"I could nick us some transportation. We passed a car dealer not too far from here."  
  
"Spike!"  
  
"You didn't mind when I took the RV. Hell, you helped."  
  
"That was different. Our lives were at stake."  
  
"Luv, mine still is. Someone's out to stake me, plus we need to be sure we're back before the sun fries me."  
  
She looked at him, realizing he was right. "Well, ok, but we're stealing some old junker. You're not taking some fancy new sports car."  
  
He rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, luv."   
  
  
Part 36, by Estepheia  
  
If one stayed on well-lit streets, it was a bit more than half an hour's walk from the Magic Shop to Giles's appartment. Tara liked walking. It helped her think. As a child she had had to trek three miles in order to get to school, and back, in wind and weather, in cold and heat, because her folks had lived in the middle of nowhere. She had secretly enjoyed the hours she could spend away from home. Dawn, however, was complaining. She hated going anywhere on foot, unless one counted loitering about in shopping malls and looking at lipstick, shoes and jewelry as walking.  
  
She was also peeved about the injustice of being 15 years old and the younger sister or a Slayer. "Why can't I come along? When Buffy was 15 she burnt down the gym of her school. If I did that Buffy would have me grounded till forever."  
  
Tara had heard Dawns complaints before, but she remained patient. "If you care about someone, you want that person to be safe. I know Willow feels that way about me. She'd ... like really worry ... you know, if I did something dangerous. It's the same with Buffy. She just wants to protect you."  
  
"Yeah well, it still sucks! What about me? I worry about HER, too. And I never know, if ... if she'll be alright!"  
  
There was enough anguish in Dawn's voice to make Tara feel sorry for the girl. Perhaps it was really time to give Dawn something useful to learn. To enable her to contribute something to the Scoobie Gang. She gave Dawn a shy smile and suggested: "Why don't I teach you to do Tarot readings? Or would you prefer palmistry? I'm sure Buffy wouldn't mind. It's not like I would be teaching you spells or anything."  
  
"Tarot? Cool! Would you really?  
"I don't see why not. It would be really useful. I can explain the basics to you tonight. And tomorrow we will get you a deck from the Magic shop."  
  
Dawn was visibly in a better mood now. There was a carefree bounce in her step and she already saw herself at the shop looking at the different Tarot decks she knew Giles stocked. When suddenly something occured to her.  
"Tara?  
"Yes?"  
"How did the Council of Watchers know that Giles was missing?"  
"They did?  
"Yes, Anya said that the Council had called to find out which items Giles took when he left. They made her check the whole stock. But how did they know he had left?"  
Tara frowned.  
"Good question." she said.  
  
***  
  
When he regained consciousness Xander was cold, and his tongue felt like it needed a shave. *God, what a terrible furry taste! What a hangover!* Strong arms were cradling him, propping him upright in a sitting position. One hand was gripping his left shoulder, while the other hand was stroking his forehead and playing with his hair. He sighed contentedly without opening his eyes. He noticed a nice smell, lavender and something else. It seemed Anya used a new kind of scented soap.  
  
*Anya?* Suddenly he realized that this could be no ordinary hangover, because he hadn't been drinking. And that chill he was feeling wasn't caused by the climate. He was leaning against a cold body, and the arms and hands that were holding him so gently were just as cold. This absence of body heat could only mean one thing.... *Vampire!*  
  
Panic swept over him. He struggled, trying to break that chilling embrace, but was easily overpowered. "Hush, my boy, don't fret." a dreamy voice said. Xander recognized the English accent. This was Drusilla, Spikes insane ex. He was so not going to open his eyes. *no Sir!* If he didn't look at her, surely she couldn't hypnotize him, could she?  
  
"I would have turned you, my little lamb, but the Knight of Swords has poured acid and poison into your veins. Wicked man. I met him long ago, I think. His tears tasted all salty, but I liked his eyes even more. He killed himself once, I wish he'd do it again. He wants to hurt me, you know. But Spike won't let him."  
  
*Oh boy, this Lady MacFang is really quite unhinged. What's that about acid and poison?* Xander realized that she was referring to the tranquilizer the dart from Giles's gun had injected into his bloodstream. Sooner or later the drug would wear off, and then this lunatic vampire would drink his blood and possibly make him her minion, fledgeling or whatever it was these bloodsuckers called their offspring. *Not good!*  
  
"Look at me, sweet boy."  
Xander shook his head wildly, his eyes squeezed shut. No more hypnosis. Being Dracula's Renfield had been humiliating enough.  
  
He felt Drusilla's hand stroking his hair. "Your heartbeat tells me all your little secrets. You are afraid. But you mustn't be. The night is beautiful, it will embrace you like a mother. My mother is dead, you know. They lay her in the cold ground. Angelus had to kill her. I'll kill yours for you, if you like?"  
  
"No, thanks. I should really do that myself. But thanks for the kind offer. Listen, I so want to give dying and being turned a miss tonight. Why don't we talk about this again in say fifty years time?" He knew he was babbling. But he had no idea how to get out of this alive. *Anya!* He had to somehow convince the vampire to let him go. Anya needed him!  
  
The stroking stopped. "Wouln't you be all old and wrinkly in fifty years? You are a naughty boy, trying to trick me. "Drusilla said quite lucidly. Then she giggled. He felt a cool hand gliding under his shirt and then a sharp fingernail scratched his chest, drawing blood.  
  
Why was it, that he always attracted women of the weirdest kind? The giant praying mantis, the Inca Mummy, Cordelia (definitely weird in her self-centered way), an 11.000 year old ex-demon and now this utterly insane vampire? Eew! If he were turned would that mean he and Angel were to be relatives? And Spike would be his undead brother? Double eew!  
  
*Wait! Hello, inspiration!*  
"You don't want ME, you want Spike. You want him back? You shall have him."  
And he looked straight into Drusilla's eyes. "With my help, you will have him back to loving you in no time." 


	9. parts 37 - 40

Part 37, by MARCEE  
  
"I say we just take the Metro," Buffy said.  
  
They were wandering around Sunnydale Chevy Town arguing about which car to 'nick'. Buffy was standing next to a fairly ugly green Metro with her arms crossed stubbornly across her chest. She was tapping her foot.  
  
"But luv," Spike said pleadingly, "the Corvette has tinted windows! Tinted windows!" He was leaning down and peering into the front seat of the yellow car. "You know...bright. Hot. Sun. - Cold. Dead. Vampire." He squatted to inspect the rims.  
  
"Spike! I already told you - stealing cars is not a... Slayer-y thing to do. I'm really not happy about this, but if we have to do it, we're taking something...cheapish." She presented the Metro. "And tomorrow night, we're returning it."  
  
Spike walked around the front of the Corvette, eyeing it greedily and looked up at Buffy.  
  
"Unless you'd like to roast marshmallows over a flaming driver, Slayer, we're taking the 'Vette."  
  
Buffy glanced at the sky, noting the arrival of sunrise. She began to wonder if any of the others had luck finding Giles. "Whatever Spike, let's just go."  
  
They took the Corvette.  
  
***  
  
"This situation does not make me happy, Giles." Anya wasn't scared...yet. She was just extraordinarly irritated. She was tied to a chair in the middle of an apartment she didn't recognize and it looked like Giles was preparing a spell. This was not good at all. And to make matters worse, he wasn't even talking to her...yet.  
  
"Giles, answer me."  
  
Nothing.  
  
"Giles, I know you're...you're not yourself. But it's me! You know me! You're not going to kill me are you? I was just getting the hang of this human stuff. Even Xander said I was - I didn't even mention disrobing on the internet to any of you. Giles, you trust me. You left me in charge of your store. I could have taken your money and moved to Africa. But I didn't. You're kind to me - well, most of the time."  
  
Giles was scurrying in and out of rooms carrying random items back and forth. Anya recognized some of the items (from the shop). Others were new to her. He was ignoring her.  
  
"Giles! Pay attention. When I'm talking, you're supposed to be listening. I don't think you're listening."  
  
"Halten sie den Mund!" shut up! Giles interrupted. He was still readying supplies.  
  
"I will not!" Anya shouted. "I can talk. I like to talk. Why can't I talk if I want to?"  
  
Giles continued ignoring her.  
  
"Lassen Sie mich gehen," let me go Anya said.  
  
At this, Giles looked up. "Bald," soon he said, "Bald, Emma."  
  
***  
  
Buffy was surprised at how comfortable leather bucket seats could be. She started fidgeting with the instruments on the dashboard. The air goes hot, the air goes cold, the windows go up, the windows go down, the seat goes forward, the seat goes back, the radio goes on, the radio -  
"Buffy! Stop it, will you," Spike slapped her hands away from the stereo.  
  
"Spike, I'm nervous."  
  
"I know you're worried about Giles, but he can handle himself," Spike said as he glanced in the rearview mirror and changed lanes.  
  
"That's what I'm nervous about," Buffy said, "he's not himself."  
  
They got back to Giles' apartment. Spike ran in with his coat over his head (just in case). Tara and Dawn were already there. They were sitting on the floor with scraps of paper spread out between them. "Anything?" Dawn asked as she looked up at Buffy.  
  
Buffy shook her head. "I was hoping Xander and Anya might have had some luck."  
  
"We haven't heard anything from them yet," Tara said. "I was starting to get worried; and I really want to go check on Willow."  
  
The sun was almost up - Giles was still missing - and now, it seems, Xander and Anya are MIA as well.  
  
"Where did the trail lead you guys?" Dawn asked.  
  
"We circled the cemetery a few times and then the trail doubled back to the one we saw on the road - we actually found an apartment," Buffy answered.  
  
"Giles had another apartment," Dawn asked.  
  
"Looks like he does now," Buffy answered, "Anyway, it was nearing sunrise and the trail from the apartment led back into town; we figured Xander and Anya were already on that route - so we decided to head back here." Buffy intentionally left out the part about Spike recognizing Dru's presence along Giles' trail in the cemetery. She was growing more concerned with every passing minute. "Spike, you stay here with Dawn and wait for Xander and Anya; Tara and I will head back to the Magic Shop to get Willow. If you hear anything, call us at the shop." Spike nodded.  
  
"Wow, nice car," Tara said as they stepped outside.  
  
"Yeah, too bad I can't drive."   
  
Tara smirked, "Good thing I can."  
  
***  
  
Part 38, by Estepheia  
  
The boy in her arms was nice and warm. Drusilla could smell his fear and she sampled his scent, like a conossoir samples the bouquet of an exquisite wine. His rapidly beating heart was like music, putting an extra spring into her movements. She felt like opening his veins and raising him above her head, so she could dance in a rain of blood, but he had said something about helping her win back Spike's love and devotion.  
  
The boy had been too weak to walk, so she had swept him up, like a bridegroom would sweep up his bride to carry her over the threshold. He had struggled, so, she had given him just a tiny weeny squeeze and he had yelped and surrendered.  
  
Even though Sunnydale High Street was deserted at this hour, Drusilla knew instinctively that she needed a more sheltered place to question this human further. Dawn was approaching. The sky was already turning grey. So, she hurried back towards Spike's crypt, slowing down only once she reached the cemetery.  
  
"You can let me down now," the boy said, struggling against her grip. "I can walk again."  
  
Yes, the poisonous smell of his blood had indeed abated. She set him on his feet. "Can you dance, too, my little Page of Pentacles?"  
  
"Huh? Tentacles?" the boy asked.  
  
"Come dance with me," Drusilla cooed and pulled him into a kind of embrace. She swayed to music only she could hear, and it didn't matter that her dancing partner was almost as limp as a puppet when she swept him around in dizzying circles. She really loved dancing on graves. She treated the headstones as other dancers, nodding at them, sometimes flirtatiously calling out names from the inscriptions. And when she felt a chill, the presence of something colder than even her undead body, she laughed happily, because she had always loved the touch of lingering ghosts.  
  
Soon Spike would be in her arms again. The mere thought filled her with elation. She felt like celebrating the occasion with a little murder and mayhem. Well, she could always slash and rend and tear and rip and gut the boy's flesh when he had divulged all his secrets.  
  
***  
  
"What's that then?" Spike asked and picked up a few pieces of paper. "The Chariot, The Hermit," he read aloud. "So, Tara is teaching you about Tarot?"  
  
"Yes, and tomorrow I'll get my own deck." Dawn answered. Her eyes shone with exitement and pride.  
  
"Tomorrow? It's morning already and you are going to sleep now."  
"But I'm not tired," Dawn protested.  
"You'd be a lot more convincing if you hadn't yawned twice in the last minute," the vampire said with a smile.  
  
Dawn made a face. She wasn't going to admit it, but she was indeed tired.  
  
A quarter of an hour later, when Spike checked on her, she was already fast asleep. Another five minutes later the vampire had unearthed Giles's secret supply of single malt and settled down on the sofa. He opened the Watcher's jounal and began to read.  
  
***  
  
Part 39, by William the Bloody  
  
Buffy and Tara were rapidly approaching the magic shop. The sun was coming up, and the tracer lines of Willow's spell were finally beginning to fade. Tara pulled the car up in front of the magic shop. Both women got out of the car and approached the shop door, Buffy pulling out keys to unlock the door.   
  
As she opened the door, Buffy was horrified to find Willow passed out on the floor on the shop. Buffy ran over to Willow, with Tara following quickly behind.   
  
"Oh god, something's happened! We shouldn't have left her here alone!" Buffy began to panic.   
  
Tara calmly knelt next to her unconscious lover and pulled her into her arms. "It's ok, Buffy. She's just exhausted from keeping the locator spell going all night. I could never have held the spell that long." She gazed down at Willow, asleep in her arms. When Willow had started gaining so much power, it had scared Tara, but now, Tara was only amazed and proud of how strong Willow had become. "We should get her home. She needs her sleep. Somewhere not on the shop floor."   
  
Buffy thought for a minute. "I don't want the two of you going home. We don't know what's happened to Xander or Anya. I don't want anyone else turning up missing. We'll all go back to Giles' place, and stay there until I figure out what we're doing next."  
  
Tara agreed. Buffy carried Willow out to the car. "Ok. Spike really could have picked out something a little roomier." Buffy managed to crowd herself and Willow into the car, and Tara got back in the driver's seat and headed back to Giles'.  
  
Willow was still unconscious when they got back to the apartment. "Tara, are you sure she's ok?"  
  
"I'm sure." Tara smiled over at Buffy. "I... can tell when something's wrong." Ever since Willow had pulled her Tara's mind back from Glory, the two witches had had some kind of constant mental connection. The only thing that had kept Tara calm through the previous night was the fact that she'd been able to sense Willow the whole time, had known that Willow was fine.  
  
Buffy carried Willow into the apartment. Spike was asleep on the sofa, with the old Watcher's Journal open on his chest. Buffy smiled a bit as she carried Willow into Giles' room. Buffy left Tara to sit with Willow, pulling the door of the bedroom shut on her way out, and then went to check on Dawn.   
  
When she was sure that Dawn was fine, Buffy went back into the living room. She lifted the journal off of the sleeping vampire and set the book aside on the coffee table. She sat gently on the edge of sofa, being careful not to wake Spike. She smiled down at him. It was hard to believe that he had been her enemy and that she had hated him. He was being such a great help to her now, and hate was definitely not what she was feeling as she watched his sleeping face. She knew she should head off to the other guest bedroom and get some sleep herself, but she couldn't pull herself away from where she sat. Spike opened his eyes and found Buffy staring down at him. "Hello, cutie", he said sleepily.   
  
"Oh, sorry Spike, I didn't mean to wake you."  
  
"Not a problem, luv. But you should be getting some sleep yourself. You've been up all night too."  
  
"I know", she said, but made no move to leave. Spike was a bit confused, but also pleased by the way she was looking at him. He rolled over onto his side and pulled himself against the back of the sofa to make more room for her. He looked up at her hopefully. She sighed and lay down on the edge of the sofa, her back against Spike. It was a tight fit, and she thought she was going to fall off the edge if she so much as moved, but he wrapped a strong arm around her, and held her. She smiled at the feel of his arm around her. He buried his face in her hair, and enjoyed the feel and smell of her. He couldn't remember ever having been as happy as he was just having her close. She fell asleep in the comfort of his arms, and he kissed her gently on the cheek before allowing himself to drift back into a contented sleep.  
  
***  
  
Part 40, by MARCEE  
  
Dawn muffled her giggles with the blanket she had wrapped around her.  
  
It was a little past noon when she woke in unfamiliar surroundings and it took almost a full minute for her to remember that she was camping out in Giles' apartment. The place was silent; she wondered if the rest of the Scoobies had left her to fend for herself. She wrapped her blanket around her shoulders and padded quietly out of the room and across the hall. She slowly pushed open the master bedroom door and peered inside. She was relieved to see Willow and Tara sleeping soundly in each others' arms. *They look so cute* Dawn smiled. She wandered carefully down the stairs and into the living room, where she now stood, trying to keep her amusement hidden.  
  
Spike heard the suppressed snickering and cracked open one eye. Dawn, with her blanket covering her mouth, stood before him wide-eyed. Spike grinned. Buffy's breathing remained slow and steady; he was careful not to wake her when he put his finger to his lips. Dawn smiled, gave him the thumbs up sign, and proceeded into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of milk.  
  
***  
  
"Emma? Who's Emma?" Anya asked the Watcher.  
  
He stopped what he was working on, smiled at Anya, and walked over to the small table by the door. He searched it. Around it. Under it.  
  
He paused a moment to look back at Anya, then at the table again.  
  
He looked confused.  
He looked irritated.  
Okay, he looked downright pissed off.  
  
"What?" Anya asked, looking back at him over her shoulder  
  
The Watcher threw the table lamp on the floor, then he threw the table. He was yelling and cursing in German...Anya only picked up a few of the multitude of expletives he was spouting.  
  
"You're mad," she stated. She meant both meanings of the word.  
  
"Wo ist es?" (Where is it?) he screamed. " Was haben Sie damit gemacht?" (What did you do with it?)  
  
"What are you talking about?" Anya screamed in reply.  
  
"Das Bild? Ich brauche es! Und wo ist mein Tagebuch? Was haben Sie damit gemacht?" (The picture? I need it! And where is my journal? What did you do with it?) He screamed, stalking toward Anya.  
  
"What picture? What do you think I did with it? Okay, right. I untied myself. I stole the picture. Hid it. Then, instead of escaping, I sat back down in this chair and tied myself up again with all these fancy knots - and all this in the three minutes you spent in your bedroom," she said smiling.  
  
"That was sarcasm," she stated, extremely pleased with herself, "Xander taught me about sarcasm."  
  
"No picture. No ritual," the Watcher hissed.  
  
"Well, that's good then. I don't want a ritual..." she paused a moment, "do I?"  
  



	10. parts 41 - 43

part 41, by Snakes  
  
Around mid afternoon, Buffy woke to find Tara and Willow staring at her, a mixture of shock and amusement on their faces. Buffy realized she was still lying in Spike's arms on the sofa. She just grinned up at them and then snuggled back against Spike's chest defiantly. Tara and Willow quickly went to join Dawn in the kitchen before starting to giggle uncontrollably.   
  
Once they got their amusement under control, Willow asked Dawn, "You been up long, Dawnie?"   
  
"A few hours. I've been trying not to disturb the lovebirds." She nodded toward the living room. Dawn was obviously quite happy about the new development in her sister's relationship with the vampire. "About time she admitted she likes him, dontcha think?"   
  
Tara smiled at that, but still had to ask, "Do you suppose we should get them up, so we can figure out how to find Xander and Anya?"   
  
"I think we'd better", Willow replied.  
  
The three of them went out into the living room. They all looked at each other. None of them wanted to disturb the couple on the couch. No one could remember the last time they'd seen Buffy this calm or happy. "Ok", said Willow, "I guess I'd better wake them".  
  
"Buffy. Spike. It's time to wake up. Xander and Anya still aren't back. We need to find them. " Willow shook Buffy's shoulder gently. "Come on. Wake up. I can't handle another locator spell yet. That last one wore me out."  
  
Buffy opened her eyes again. "Ok, Willow. Getting up." Even as worried as she was about the missing scoobies, she really didn't want to move away from Spike. But she knew she had to find her friends. She moved Spike's arm off her and sat up. She turned to wake the vampire. He sighed. He'd already been awake, but had also been avoiding ending this encounter. "I'm awake, Buffy", he said as he sat up next to her.   
  
He picked the watcher's journal back up off the coffee table. "I was reading this this morning, and I think I know what Giles, or actually this watcher that seems to be borrowing Giles, is planning. He wants to bring back his slayer. He's going to do a ritual to move her spirit into another body. Or at least he was going to. It looks like you messed up his plans pretty bad, Buffy."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"That picture you took. It appears he needed that for the ritual. So, you've delayed him at least. As soon as it's dark, I suggest we head over to his new apartment and see if Xander and Anya are there."  
  
Buffy nodded. "You think he might have intended Anya for his slayer?"   
  
"Yeah, it would make sense, and it would explain why they're missing."   
  
"And he can't do anything without the picture?"  
  
"Well, I can't be sure he didn't have a backup plan…"  
  
Buffy looked at Spike. "I think we'd better assume he had a backup plan. Willow and I can head over there now."   
  
Spike was hurt, but realized that she was probably right. It's not like he could even enter the apartment to help. "You're right. You should probably go." Buffy heard the pain in his voice. She took his hand in hers and held it tightly. She looked over at her sister and the witches. "Could… um… could you give us a minute…" Dawn, Willow, and Tara all hurried back into the kitchen.   
  
Buffy raised the hand that wasn't already holding Spike's and stroked his face gently. "Spike, just because you can't go help now, don't you dare feel bad about it. We wouldn't even know what Giles is planning if it wasn't for you."  
  
"I know, Buffy. But I can't help worrying about you, and I hate not being able to be there with you, just in case you need my help. And… I want to be there with you, just to be with you."  
  
"Spike, I…" She stopped talking and quickly pressed her lips against his. He responded passionately. She finally pulled away, her hand still on his cheek, and stared into his eyes. "I shouldn't be gone long. My slayer strength and Willow's powers against even a possessed Giles shouldn't be a difficult fight. And then I'll be back with you." She kissed him gently again before finally standing up.   
  
She went to get Willow. As the two women left, Buffy looked back at Spike. He still looked pained, and she was feeling much the same way, even though she knew she had to go. She gave him what she hope was a slightly seductive smile, and was happy to see him smile back. Then she turned and went out with Willow.  
  
******  
  
Buffy handed Willow the keys to the corvette, and they headed back towards where Buffy and Spike had discovered Giles' new apartment. They were almost there when they heard a police siren behind them. Willow pulled the car over, and the police car pulled up beside them. A police officer walked up on each side of the car. "Would you ladies please step out of the car."   
  
"What's wrong? I wasn't speeding. I'm not the speeding type."  
  
"Please step out of the car."  
  
Buffy realized that she'd never actually mentioned to anyone where the car had come from. *Oh shit!*, she thought as she and Willow got out of the car.  
  
******   
  
Evening had arrived, and Buffy and Willow hadn't come back yet. Spike, Dawn, and Tara were all getting extremely worried. "Buffy hadn't wanted anyone else to turn up missing, and now she's missing too!" fretted Tara. "And Willow was still tired from last night's spell." Tara was sitting on the sofa with her head in her hands. "Willow's upset. I can feel her. She's upset. She's crying."   
  
Spike looked at her strangely. He hadn't realized that the witches had that kind of connection. "Tara, can you see where they are? Can you tell what happened?"   
  
"No. I… our connection's not that way. I can feel how she is, but I can't see what's going on or anything like that."  
  
Spike was disappointed, but didn't want to upset Tara further. "It's ok, pet. We'll figure something out." He wished he'd made Buffy wait until dark when he could have gone with her. It seemed like he always managed to let her down.  
  
Dawn was leaning against the wall, trying not to cry. She was so afraid of losing her sister again. What could have happened?  
  
A knock on the door startled all three of them. Xander's voice yelled, "Hey, someone let me in! I don't have a key." Dawn ran over and opened the door, and found Xander standing there, with Drusilla's arms around him. Dawn stepped back from the door startled.   
  
"Spike, luv. Aren't you going to ask me in?" Dru looked at Spike and smiled.   
  
"Can't, Poodle. I don't live here. Neither does anyone else who's here right now. So, sorry. Can't invite you."  
  
"Awww. I've found a new playmate, Spike. I thought we could all play together, but you can't let me in." She nuzzled up to Xander and licked his neck. "Guess it's just you and me", she purred. "Let's go dance in the graveyard before I turn you."   
  
Xander pleaded, "Come on! Somebody do something!"  
  
"Dru!" Spike called to her. "Wha' do you need him for, luv? You'd be listening to bad jokes for eternity. Now that we can be together again, you don't need monkey boy." Spike started to walk toward the door.   
  
"Spike", Dawn whimpered. Spike couldn't really be turning on them to go with Drusilla?   
  
Spike walked quickly over to Dawn. He spoke briefly and quietly, since he couldn't afford for Dru to hear him. "She's going to turn Xander. If I go with her, she'll forget about him."   
  
"But, once Xander's inside, you'll come back in, right?", Dawn whispered.  
  
Spike shook his head. "I have to find out what's going on. She's got something to do with all of this."  
  
Dru was getting impatient. "Spike, why aren't you with me yet? I see the slayer… Is she still holding you, my love?"  
  
Spike walked quickly out the door and wrapped his arms around Drusilla. "Forget the boy, Dru. You can do so much better. You have me." Dru turned to Spike, loosening her hold on Xander just enough that he manage to pull away and run in through the apartment door.   
  
"Where are you going?" Dru called to Xander. "I thought we were going to play. I have all sorts of lovely surprises for you."  
  
"Drusilla." Spike swayed back and forth with her in his arms. "Come away from here with me, Dru. We don't need any of them."  
  
"Oh Spike! Are you coming with me then?"   
  
"Yes, Dru. Let's get out of here." Spike turned and gave a meaningful look to Dawn. He really hoped she understood why he had to go, and that he'd be back. Dawn seemed sad, but she did catch his look, and she nodded her understanding.   
  
"Yeah, get out of here!" shouted Xander. "I've had quite enough of vampires today."  
  
"Shut up Xander!" Dawn and Tara said at the same time.  
  
Spike nodded to Dawn and Tara, and then walked off with Dru in his arms, and a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach.  
  
***  
  
part 42, by Marcee  
  
  
"Look, I've seen Law & Order, I know I get a phone call!" Buffy yelled from her cage for what seemed like the millionth time. She looked over at Willow who still sat on the bench under the barred window with her head in her hands.  
  
"Will, we need to do something," she said.  
  
Willow looked up, "I'm still drained Buffy, I'd love to just close my eyes and pop the lock on the cell, but right now, I can't even pop a zit."  
  
Buffy nodded. "Hey," she yelled again, "the phone! Can I please use the phone!"  
  
She started pacing across the cell. "Damn Spike!" she mumbled to herself, "If he hadn't...but he just looked so cute...then I wouldn't...damn him!"  
  
"It WAS a nice car," Willow mentioned under her breath.  
  
"I know my rights!" Buffy yelled again. *Well, some of them, anyway.* "We've been here for almost THREE HOURS!"  
  
"Four," Willow corrected.  
  
"Did you hear that? FOUR HOURS!" Buffy bellowed.  
  
"What? Afraid you're missing Dawson's Creek?" a guard responded as he walked up to her cell.  
  
"Ew, are you kidding. Who watches the WB anymore?" she answered, "Look, can I get my phone call or what?"  
  
"Grand theft auto's a pretty serious crime, there, Missy," the guard chided. "Besides, you're lucky I didn't toss you into lock up with the others. They'd tear up a sweet thing like you."  
  
"Look, Mr. Guard-man-guy, I just want to use the phone."  
  
"What are you gonna do for me, babydoll, if I let you get that call?" he eyed her up and down.  
  
"Oh, you wanna play?" Buffy asked seductively, leaning into the bars. "I'm so in the mood to play..."  
  
The guard snickered, "Oh really?" He approached her, swinging a ring of keys around his forefinger.  
  
Buffy put her face up to the bars and started whispering, "I'm a bad girl. I like to steal pretty cars."  
  
"Yeah, you're bad," the guard smirked, "I like bad girls."  
  
For the first time, in a long time, Buffy thought about Faith and smiled.  
  
"I don't actually know how to drive stick," she continued. "That makes it tough to steal the nice, fast cars..." She drew out her words slowly, sultry.  
  
"Yeah," the guard stepped closer to hear her.  
  
"I'll bet you could teach me to drive stick," she licked her lips. "You know, like how to handle it? How to hold it. How to stroke it?" she whispered.  
  
"Oh yeah, baby," the guard was entranced.  
  
"I'll bet you could take me on one wild ride, couldn't you?" she breathed.  
  
The guard took another step toward the bars and said, "Oh, baby, I could-" THUD! Buffy had grabbed him by the collar and yanked him forward into the bars, effectively knocking him out cold. She let him slide to the floor and grabbed the key ring from his limp hand.  
  
Willow was at her side in an instant, "Good work, Buff! I didn't know you could be all seductress-y"  
  
"Charlie's Angels," she replied.  
  
"Who says TV rots the brain," Willow chuckled.  
  
Buffy unlocked the cage; they snuck through a hall and were out behind the station in a matter of minutes.  
  
"Now what?" Willow asked.  
  
They were miles from anywhere.  
  
"I'm not sure," Buffy answered honestly, "but we need to hurry and get to the others, I'm sure they're worried. And now Spike can help us with the possessed-watcher-situation-thing...and the longer Xander and Anya are missing..."   
  
She didn't have to finish her thought, Willow nodded knowingly. "But how do we get there?" there was concern in the witch's voice, "I really can't do a teleportation spell right now."  
  
"I know, I know," Buffy answered. She leaned back against the wall of the station. She needed to think.  
  
Unfortunately, there was no time to think, as three vampires rounded the corner. "Uh Buffy?" Willow nudged her.  
  
"Why would vampires hang out at a police station," Buffy asked, glancing around the alley for a weapon.  
  
Willow stepped back as Buffy kicked a wooden palette into the side of a large metal garbage bin and grabbed for the splinters.  
  
The gang of vampires approached the ladies smiling. The blond one had a billy club. "Well, what do we have here?" he asked.  
  
Another spoke up in response, "Looks like these ladies are trying to escape."  
  
"Get the Sergeant," the blonde one instructed. One of the vamps turned and headed back toward the front of the building.  
  
"You've got to be kidding," Buffy sighed. "You're working WITH the police?"  
  
"We do what we can to keep the streets clean," the blond chuckled.  
  
"Besides," piped up the ugly vamp to his right, "we get paid awful well - and they don't give us trouble if a couple of burglars happen to get drained every now and then."  
  
"Shut up, Darren," the blond poked him with the club. "Okay, ladies, the fun's over. Time to go back inside."  
  
"Um. I don't think so," Buffy said and swiftly knocked the blond off his feet with a kick to the chest. The ugly vampire, Darren, was swinging wildly at her, but she ducked his amateur punches easily and kicked his feet out from under him. His head smacked against the alley wall on his way down and he was out. The blond had gotten up and was heading toward her, billy club ready in his outstretched arm. He swung it at her head, but she caught his arm and used his momentum to swing him into the wall. She punched him in the gut, grabbed his hair and brought his head down into her knee. When she released her grip, he fell face forward onto the asphalt. She brought the stake down over his back, but then hesitated. She looked at Willow, who had remained in the shadow of the doorway.  
  
"What do you think, Will?" she asked her long-time friend, "They're sorta helping, right?"  
  
Willow shrugged. "They're still feeding, though."  
  
"Weird," Buffy said and dusted him. She made quick work of the unconscious Darren and then turned to face Willow once more.  
  
The redhead had just fished something out of the debris on the ground and smiled at Buffy as she stood. She jingled the key ring, "We're already fugitives. What do you say?"  
  
Buffy grinned, "Can I play with the siren?"  
  
  
***  
  
Part 43, by Estepheia  
  
"...and then Dru-psycho waltzed me round the cemetery and all the time I was keeping my fingers crossed the sunrise would fry her extra well done."  
Xander licked orange marmelade off his fingers and grabbed another slice of toast. Giles's cupboards weren't exactly well stocked, but Xander had been positively ravenous, and toast wasn't so bad. Eating helped.  
  
When they had told them that Anya was still missing and that Buffy and Willow were also unaccounted for, he had almost dashed out again, determined to take on anything and anyone that stood between him and the people he loved. Eventually, Tara and Dawn had convinced him that in his current state there was little he could do except get himself killed. And that wouldn't help Anya. Or the others.  
  
After he had taken a shower, Tara had discreetly dressed his wounds (Drusilla had left a rather painfull criss-cross of scratches all over him, which he didn't want Dawn to see) and he had changed into some of Giles's less old-fashioned clothes. Meanwhile it had been Dawn's job to hunt down food and drink, because obviously he hadn't had anything to eat or drink while he had been in Dru's power.  
  
He continued his narration: "Too bad, Crazilla got her wits back just in time and dragged me into Spike's crypt." He shuddered at the memory. No way was he ever going to tell just how scary the last 12 hours had been. Drusilla's mood swings and her lack of concentration and her desire to... play... would probably give him nightmares for years to come.  
  
"And what happened then?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Oh we had a really good talk," he said lightly. "I think a polite conversation with Hannibal the Cannibal would have been easier, though. At least he wouldn't have listened to ghosts all the time. Anyway, I told her, Spike was no longer in love with her because a while ago Willow cast a spell on him to make him fall in love with Buffy. And then I told her that I was the only one who could talk Willow into undoing the spell. It was all I could come up with, but she bought it. That's why she didn't kill me."  
  
***  
  
They had hardly walked a few steps away from Giles's appartment, when Drusilla pulled him into a passionate kiss. It was a strange feeling, to find himself in Drusilla's cold embrace again. His body certainly remembered the over 100 years they had spent together. Her familiar scent, the well-known curves of her slender body, the way her old-fashioned clothes rustled, all these impressions brought back memories of happy nights. And they had been happy; the fact that his heart now yearned for the love of another did not diminish the thrill, exultation and passion he and Dru had felt in each others arms.  
  
He found himself returning Drusilla's kiss, unable to decide whether he wanted it or whether he didn't. When he had left the appartment it had been an easy plan: first he'd get the whelp off Dru's evening menu, then he'd lull his ex into a false sense of security and milk her for info and finally he'd make off with his new knowledge and sort out the Watcher business. He had, however, underestimated his own unwillingness to lie to his lover of a hundred years.  
  
He gently pushed her away. "It's no good, luv. Nothing's changed."  
  
She wasn't offended. She gave him a sly smile. "Yes, I can smell her on you. She owns you, she has you on a leash. Are her kisses as bittersweet as mine? Or do they taste like bones? Are you her little doggy, will you fetch sticks for your beloved Slayer?" Her eyes sparkled evilly as she placed her spidery hand over his still heart. He had always loved that cruel smile of hers.  
  
Somehow her words hurt, and he knew that she knew it.  
  
"If she want's me to," he admitted truthfully and not entirely without shame. There was still something between them, the attraction was still there, and of course the bond of blood. The connection between sire and childe tugged at him, part of him still wanted Dru's respect. He was, after all, still a vampire.  
  
She took his hand into hers and lifted it to her lips. She placed a tender kiss on his fingertips. "It's not natural, you know, wanting to caress the Slayer with these hands. There's death on them. I can smell it, even if you can't." She drew him to her, her body swaying hypnotically, and breathed a kiss on his lips. "Do you want to kiss her with these lips, that have tasted the blood of thousands? Do you think she'll ever forget that you taste like death. Do you think she'll ever love her little doggy?"  
  
He recoiled as if she had hit him. "I don't... it doesn't matter. She trusts me."  
  
"Of course she does," Drusilla replied. "After all, she let her friend weave a magic leash for my poor Spike."  
  
"What?" he felt an icy cold spread through him.  
  
"It's magic that has twisted your heart and turned it away from me." She smiled at the pain she could read in his face and pulled him towards her. Spike didn't resist. She knew how to comfort him. She'd make his body hurt until it screamed louder than his heart and then they'd go and kill the witch.  
  
*** 


End file.
